What do I remember about the SLP program at TCU?

As a student I remember the two story house that housed the program and the wonderful faculty, particularly Dr. Dorothy Bell.  Her picture hangs in the waiting room of your present clinic.  She founded the program, and in my opinion is the sole reason the program exists today.  I also was always aware of the wonderfully optimistic, happy, and friendly atmosphere in the clinic.  Many of us remarked that we hoped the wonderful sense of camaraderie would never be lost.

What was my favorite memory of TCU?

I believe that at least one of my favorite memories is of learning about the gift for a clinic by Wilma and Benny Smith, the privilege of being somewhat "in" on the planning of the facility, watching it materialize and moving in.

Another favorite memory is of when my husband brought our grandchildren, George and Jessica for whom the children in the stories of the CEI program were named, to the classroom where I had just been teaching.  I introduced George and Jessica to the children; and one of the older little boys ran to his mother and exclaimed, "Mom, they're real!"

What do I remember most about working at TCU? How was my experience working at TCU?

I considered my time working at TCU as almost a time of recreation.  I loved each moment of every day.  How wonderful to get paid for something I would have almost done for free!

I suppose I remember my contacts with and observations of the children the most.  I remember one 7 year old boy progressing from one utterance of "Ah-h-h" to talking intelligibly and being a proficient speller.  I remember another time observing through the one-way mirror one little boy taking his fist and smashing his seat-mate's cracker.  The seat-mate hit at the first little boy, and of course it was the seat-mate that got into trouble with the clinicians.

Where am I currently working?  What am I doing?

I am retired from TCU; however I am still working at other things.  I work at sorting, filing, stuffing, mailing, labeling, etc. 4 to 6 hours 3 days per week at my daughter's wholesale, commercial grade textile business, I am secretary of our resident council here at Trinity Terrace where I live, I volunteer two afternoons a week at our White Elephant Store, I play in a handbell choir at church, and I try to answer e-mails.

What is my favorite thing about what I do?

Playing in the handbell choir and making literally scores of new friends here at Trinity Terrace.

I entered Eastern Illinois State University as a music major earning my BS degree in Music Education from there and a MS in Music Education from Indiana State University.  I was not familiar with the field of SLP at that time.  After our two girls were born, I gradually began to learn about the field; and I said many times that if I had known about it when I started college I would have wanted to major in that.  My husband's career as a dean took us from Illinois to California and then to TCU.  So I was here, and this was my chance to earn a MA in SLP.

What was my biggest contribution to our field so far?

Some of the residents here at Trinity Terrace have told me that I changed the lives of their grandchildren with whom I worked.  I hope I contributed to the lives of the many children with whom I had contact, and I hope I helped inspire a love for the field in the SLP majors at the Miller Clinic at TCU.