Southeast Missouri State University’s Department of Communication Disorders is strengthening student learning and community impact through the Center for Speech and Hearing, leading the way as the only university in Missouri to have a stand-alone clinic.
Housed on SEMO’s campus, the Center for Speech and Hearing serves as both a clinical training site for students and a community resource offering comprehensive speech, language and hearing services to individuals across the lifespan.
“My passion is working with people and I’ve had a lot of opportunities to work with a lot of people,” said Jayden Westbrooks, a graduate student in the Department of Communication Disorders. “Now that I’ve worked with people in the clinic, I have a much greater understanding of the work.”
The Center provides a wide range of services, including:
- Speech and language evaluations and therapy for children and adults
- Hearing screenings, audiology services and auditory processing support
- Literacy and reading development support
- Fluency therapy for individuals who stutter
- Swallowing and communication development
- Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) support
INTERESTED IN COMMUNICATION DISORDERS?
The facility features specialized labs, therapy rooms and observation spaces designed to mirror professional clinical settings. Students train in dedicated areas including a voice and swallowing lab with videostroboscopy and airway management simulation, an AAC lab, a language lab focused on functional communication and an audiology lab with a soundproof booth. Twelve therapy rooms, including teletherapy spaces, along with diagnostic and observation suites, allow students to conduct evaluations and receive real-time supervisor feedback.
The Center also has a life skills kitchen for daily living practice and a materials lab with extensive clinical resources. In these environments, students gain hands-on experience with real clients while delivering accessible, affordable services to children, adults and families across southeast Missouri.
“Our students work directly with clients in a real clinical setting,” said Dr. Susan Fulton, Department of Communication Disorders chair and associate professor. “Our experience-driven program builds confidence and ensures students are prepared to make an immediate impact in their careers.”
Graduates of SEMO’s communication disorders program leave with hundreds of supervised clinical hours and a strong foundation for graduate study and professional certification in speech-language pathology or audiology.
“I came in extremely nervous but once I got in the clinic room, I worked alongside my supervisor throughout the entire semester,” said Westbrooks. “I didn’t come in with clinical skills, but clinicals helped me get to the level I need to be.”
For those interested in a career helping others communicate, SEMO offers an experience-driven pathway grounded in community impact. Empower others to live fearlessly and join SEMO’s communication disorders program by visiting semo.edu/speech-hearing.