Communication sciences and disorders (CSD) major Eman Issa has gotten in trouble her whole life for being too talkative. “I really love to talk,” she said. “So, when I found out I could go to school to help other people talk, I knew exactly where I belonged.” 

A Lexington native herself, Issa always knew she’d end up at the University of Kentucky—the question was what she’d end up at UK for. As the oldest of four siblings, she knew she wanted to work with children. Then, during her senior year of high school, a close friend told Issa about her own path as a CSD major.

The rest is history. Issa applied to UK for the pre-CSD track, and when she began taking her major courses during her sophomore year, she fell in love with the program. “From the very first class, I just knew this was what I wanted to do,” she said.

Once her spot in the CSD program was confirmed, Issa immersed herself in her future career. She is a founding member of the CSD Committee for Student Diversity and is on her way to becoming a member of the National Student Speech and Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). Additionally, Issa spends much of her time working in the office of the CSD Academic Clinic, and has  quickly become an integral part of the CSD and greater CHS community.

As a CHS student ambassador, Issa also leads others toward their own communities and passions. “I may speak with a potential student who knows they want to go into healthcare but is ensure of where they fit best.,” she said. “I love helping others take that first step to discovering where they want to end up. I talking about what I am passionate about and helping others find out what they’re passionate about.”

For Issa, her love of conversation helps focus her passion for CSD. “We take communication for granted. We don’t realize how what a blessing it is because we all can just speak to each other,” she said. “We know we have to change our tone when we’re talking to a professor versus when we’re talking to our friend; we know that certain things are inappropriate. But, these subtleties may be lost on someone who struggle with a speech or language disorder. Giving them that tool, that gift, is such a rewarding thing to do.”

After she graduates, Issa plans to become a speech language pathologist (SLP) and practice in Kentucky.

“I think Kentucky is in need of more avenues to deliver care,” she explained. “Rural areas create obstacles for patients who are in dire need. I believe telepractice and a greater speech language pathologist presence in the state could help alleviate these issues.

“Most people don’t realize the opioid crisis in Kentucky puts a demand on SLPs, too,” she continued. “This crisis causes many children to be born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS); a condition that effects swallowing. That’s something we can help with. So, as these children grow up, Kentucky speech language pathologists’ caseloads are going to increase.”

By far, though, the biggest obstacle to CSD careers is that the greater public is unaware of the field and how SLPs can serve them.

“It seems like no one knows we exist,” Issa said. “That’s what the Committee for Student Diversity is working on right now. We go into high schools in Lexington and present about CSD. We find the majority of high school students have never heard about our major or the different opportunities in the field.”

According to Issa, the diversity of the profession is what makes it so rewarding. “We don’t just teach kids correct pronunciation or grammar, she said. “We can also help an eighty-year-old who has had a stroke and can’t swallow anymore, or a thirty-year-old who’s been in a car accident and has a traumatic brain injury. SLPs can serve any person at any point in the lifespan.”