SXU Communication Sciences and Disorders Student Earns Best in Show at Research Expo
Saint Xavier University (SXU) communication sciences and disorders student Melissa Guzman has earned "Best in Show" at the SXU Research Expo for her health sciences project, "¡Qué chido que my language suena así! A corpus linguistics approach to analyzing U.S. Spanish." Guzman's project focuses on code-switching in the Southwest and brings awareness to how code-switching relates to the field of speech-language pathology.
"I had the chance to speak to so many amazing people at the Research Expo, and when my name was called for the award, I was shocked. It was such a surprise, but I feel very blessed to have been chosen for this prestigious award," said Guzman.
Guzman worked with communication sciences and disorders professor Miriam Rodriguez-Guerra.
"Code-switching is something that is not always talked about, and it was important for me to learn more and share about this topic. Working as a research assistant for Professor Rodriguez-Guerra, I have had the opportunity to work with various professors and other students from Seattle University, which has been amazing," said Guzman.
Guzman was drawn to speech-language pathology because she wants to be able to give back to her community. She also added a second major in Spanish in the Professions to reach both Spanish- and English-speaking clients.
"As a first-generation student, I have always translated for my parents' health appointments because the clinician did not know Spanish. Experiencing that growing up really motivated me, because everyone deserves to have care in their own language and feel comfortable, safe and welcomed. I want to be that clinician for someone," said Guzman.
Guzman is grateful for the high-impact experiences she has at SXU and feels confident that every single class she has taken has taught her something new and is preparing her for her future career.
"Saint Xavier has introduced me to some of the most caring and hardworking professors who are truly setting me up for success. From my first-year seminar class to my junior year neuroscience class, all of my classes have positively impacted me. I have also built my confidence as a student leader and appreciate meeting other motivated students," said Guzman.
Guzman is very involved on campus. She is a member of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and co-founder of Latinos in Healthcare, a registered student organization (RSO) that uplifts Hispanic health care-focused students.
"With the lack of resources due to laws removing DEI in universities, we took the risk to push our Latino-based organization and now have over 200 supporters on social media and The Den. Being able to have a supportive organization for Latino students has allowed us to create so many memories through different events and collaboration with other RSOs," said Guzman.
In the future, Guzman plans to pursue a master's degree and become a bilingual speech-language pathologist. She looks forward to exploring new opportunities and expanding her knowledge through research and events that revolve around community, support and education.