Paige Wintermute ‘19 studied communication disorders while at Geneva, receiving an education that is continuing to shape her life after graduation. She started her journey with undeclared intentions, but finished her time at Geneva with a strong foundation for further education and a fulfilling career.
Paige came to Geneva in 2015 as an undeclared major and spent almost two years looking for the right program. “Across departments, faculty and staff were very supportive of my efforts to find the best fit,” she says. “When I did begin exploring the communication disorders program, I quickly realized how unique it was; not many colleges have a specific undergraduate program to prepare students for careers in speech-language pathology or audiology.”
Communication disorders stood out to Paige because it offered an intersection for her interests in psychology, science, Spanish, language, direct engagement with people, and opportunities to work in the medical field. She was familiar with hospitals because her sister has a chronic medical condition, and this influence has been a determining factor for Paige’s studies and career aspirations. Currently, she works as a speech-language pathologist at the same hospital where her sister was treated as a child. She says, “I witnessed the incredible work that medical professionals were providing to my sister and to my family and it inspired in me a desire to work with other children one day.” In her current role, she gets to care for and support children just as others cared for and supported her sister.
While at Geneva, Paige was very active in the college community. She accomplished all three honors programs at Geneva (first-year honors, young scholars, and academic partners). She led the student government as class president and study body president, and worked as a resident assistant. In all of these areas Paige was able to pour into the community around her and likewise benefit from the opportunities that Geneva offered. “I think that all of these opportunities helped me to build a strong foundation for successful transition into graduate school and my professional career.” Whether in the classroom or in her extracurricular activities, Paige experienced significant growth that served her well once she left the College.
Looking back on her experience, she credits her professors as the best part of the program. Each communication disorders professor has experience working in the field of speech-language pathology, and this is evident in the classroom. “Their teaching was clearly shaped by their previous encounters with students, patients, and clients which is incredibly helpful in preparation for a clinical career,” says Paige. “In addition, the professors were well informed on the processes for applying to graduate school, and they supported each student’s individual interests and needs to help each one be as successful as possible, both at Geneva and beyond.” Many communication disorders students choose to attend graduate school to meet regulations for the field, and Paige’s undergraduate experience at Geneva was instrumental in preparing her for success in her further education.
After graduation, Paige began a master’s program in speech and hearing sciences at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her undergraduate coursework at Geneva was integral in preparing her for this master’s level coursework. After completing her two-year master’s program, Paige returned to the northeast to work in a one-year clinical training program at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to complete her clinical fellowship in speech-language pathology. Upon completion, she was hired by the hospital as a full-time staff clinician, the role she still holds today.
“I have been working as a pediatric speech-language pathologist in the inpatient setting, serving the speech, language, cognitive-linguistic, feeding, and swallowing needs for children with a variety of complex medical diagnoses. I have also been fortunate to be involved with some research efforts at the institution, which is a particular interest of mine. I am currently exploring PhD programs with hopes of becoming a clinical researcher.”
As Paige looks towards her future, she recognizes how Geneva College has helped her to develop a strong understanding of faith-life integration and led her into this field. “This work can be very challenging given the circumstances that many of my patients and their families face, but it is also an honor that I get to play a role in supporting a child’s communication skills or helping them to eat. I love that speech-language pathology allows me to work with such a diverse variety of people and that it feels like both science and an art.”
Mattigan Burleigh ‘24
Learn more about Geneva College.
Have questions? Call us at 724-847-6505.
© Geneva College | All rights reserved
Online Course Login
myGeneva Student Portal