By Will Bower
Maddie Sniadecki, a fourth-year speech and hearing sciences student in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will graduate this year as part of the class of 2025. During her time at CSD, Sniadecki has worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the Clinical Linguistics and Disparities (CLD) lab.
In the CLD lab, Sniadecki serves as the lead of the Neighborhood Centers of Johnson County (NCJC) project. The mission of NCJC is to “strengthen families and neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for the community.”
Learn more about Maddie, her responsibilities as the lead of the NCJC project, and her future plans in this Q&A.
Why did you choose to study speech and hearing sciences?
My parents are both teachers, and I wanted to follow their path by joining a profession of service. Speech and hearing sciences allowed me to explore the art of communication, a key part of what makes us human. The opportunity to be a catalyst to expand the communication of others is exciting to me, and something I can’t wait to devote my life to.
How did you get involved with the NCJC project?
In my classes, I noticed many of my professors stated the assessment and intervention strategies we learned were not always appropriate for multilingual speakers. However, there was a lack of research about better alternatives leaving many questions unanswered. When I found out about the CLD lab and the NCJC project, I applied to join right away. I initially got involved in the behind-the-scenes aspect of the project as a transcriber. Through asking questions and taking advantage of any opportunity, I eventually participated in the data collection and intervention process and found a sense of purpose in this project.
What are your responsibilities as the lead of the NCJC project?
As the NCJC lead, I coordinate the language sampling, transcription, coding, and intervention team. Our language sampling process takes place at two time points, where we sample around 65 multilingual preschoolers. Then, I take those recordings of the samples, and my team begins the transcription and coding process. As the NCJC lead, I prioritize communicating our data in real-time to the families and teachers of these preschoolers. We later provide intervention services through an MTSS model every week to our preschoolers who have language concerns. Ultimately, I serve as the primary point of contact for research assistants, teachers, and parents for every part of this study.
What has been the most rewarding element of your undergraduate experience?
The most rewarding element of my undergraduate experience was the connections I made. I feel so lucky to have a community of lifelong friends, kind classmates, and supportive faculty. They have made my undergraduate experience so special, and those connections will carry me through the next stage of my life.
What are you looking forward to as you begin the speech-language pathology (SLP) program next year?
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa offers so many unique opportunities and experiences in its SLP program. As a result, I am excited to gain vast clinical experience with a variety of populations and figure out my niche in speech-language pathology.
Where do you see yourself five years from now?
Five years from now, I would love to work as a medical SLP at a hospital in Chicago. I also plan to stay involved with advocacy for culturally responsive practice.