Steinhardt’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders launches new video series to demystify applying to graduate school in the field.
Steinhardt’s Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders (CSD) has rolled out a series of videos aimed at helping students from across the country – and particularly those from underrepresented racial and first-generation backgrounds – apply to graduate school.
The project began in summer 2020 when, amidst a nationwide shift in perceptions about equity and racial justice, CSD took a deep look at how they could do more to combat social injustice.
“Listening sessions and other departmental events that summer brought up many important issues,” says Sudha Arunachalam, associate professor in CSD and director of the undergraduate program. “One of these was related to the lack of racial and ethnic diversity in the field of speech-language-hearing.”
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), only about 8.5 percent of their members and affiliates identify as racial minorities, compared to 27.6 percent of the US population.
In response, the Department created the Committee for Belonging, Justice, and Social Change, comprised of students, faculty, administrators, staff, and alumni, with Arunachalam acting as the first chair. One of the first initiatives the committee decided to tackle in response to student feedback was to create videos that demystify applying to graduate school for students interested in CSD – no matter what university they want to attend.
“We wanted to use these videos to support students who are most likely to not understand the ‘hidden curriculum’ that exists in graduate school,” says Arunachalam. “Prospective students from certain backgrounds are generally less likely to know the ins and outs of applying successfully, so these videos are perfect for them and anyone else who has questions or needs a few extra resources.”
According to the Council of Graduate Schools, underrepresented minorities “remain substantially underrepresented as percentage shares of the graduate student population” at less than 25 percent in fall 2019.
To help increase diversity in the field, the committee formed a smaller working group led by Olivia Blake, enrollment and field placement administrator, to create content around topics current students wanted to know during the planning and application process, such as how to write a compelling essay or who to ask for letters of recommendation.
“While we were planning and thinking about how we were going to fund this project, I got an email from NYU’s Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity, and Strategic Innovation (OGI) about a series of microgrants they were awarding for anti-racism resources,” says Arunachalam. “It was great timing and a perfect fit.”
Arunachalam immediately wrote and submitted an application within 48 hours, and CSD was delighted to receive one of the OGI’s Faculty Innovation and Anti-Racism Microgrants.
The videos were launched on the CSD website in fall 2021, and they have also been shared with students at information sessions held by the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH) and Asian Pacific Islander Speech-Language-Hearing (APISLH) Caucus.
“We created the videos to be evergreen and to be applicable to all graduate students interested in speech-language pathology and audiology,” says Blake. “These can be great resources for current undergraduates, career changers, and even those just interested in learning more about applying to graduate school.”
Since its launch, the Committee has worked to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion in the department by creating a faculty-student mentorship program, changing curriculum policies that disproportionately affect Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and established training on inclusive teaching principles and practices in collaboration with OGI, to name a few.
“We’re taking small steps to help mitigate a systemic, global issue, and it’s thanks to the great ideas from our students,” says Arunachalam.
CSD encourages anyone in the speech-language-hearing field to share these videos with students to help increase diversity at universities everywhere.
Related Department
Communicative Sciences and Disorders
665 Broadway, 9th floor
New York, NY 10012
Phone: 212-998-5230