Aspen Jester started her collegiate career on the pre-med track with plans to be in healthcare. She started pre-med, then shifted to pre-physician assistant. But in her junior year, she landed in a field with which she has significant personal experience—speech-language pathology.
“I always knew I wanted a career that involved helping people, with a strong foundation in neurology and opportunities for hands-on work in a medical setting,” Jester said. “That combination is what ultimately led me to speech-language pathology, as it offers such a wide scope of practice with countless specialties to explore and grow within.”
Jester, who is graduating with a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, is going into the field with years of experience as a client. As a person who stutters, she’s spent plenty of time in speech therapy sessions.
“That gave me a unique perspective and a strong desire to contribute to the field in a meaningful way and help others feel heard, supported and confident in their communication,” she said. “Speech-language pathology continues to be incredibly rewarding, and I’m grateful every day for the opportunity to support individuals in their speech, language, feeding and swallowing journeys.”
Her career at NAU and beyond
Jester earned her bachelor’s degree at the University of Kansas with degrees in behavioral neuroscience and speech-language-hearing sciences and disorders. As she was considering graduate programs, NAU was on her list. She applied somewhat on a whim, she said, but the more she learned about the program, the more she liked it.
Serendipitously, she also met another applicant in that process who became first a friend, then a classmate and a roommate.
Jester has made the most of her time at NAU. Building relationships with clients, peers and faculty members has meant a lot to her; seeing her clients grow over time has been one of the most rewarding experiences of her life, she said.
Additionally, in October, Jester started a National Stuttering Association Flagstaff chapter for adults and teens who stutter as well as their family members, friends, speech-language pathologists and others who are interested. They meet every month to discuss different things people experience, current events in the stuttering world and how they’re feeling about their own speech.
“A lot of it is just creating space for people to share their experiences in communication challenges and connect with others who understand,” she said. “I’ve seen participants gain confidence, feel less isolated and become more open in their communication. Personally, it’s been incredibly impactful, deepening my understanding of stuttering beyond the clinical perspective and reminding me how important community and validation are in this field.”
After graduating, Jester will begin an externship at Children’s Hospital Colorado in Denver, where she’ll work in acute care. After that, she plans to work with the pediatric population and continue to build her skills in areas of traumatic brain injuries, feeding/swallowing and patients with complex medical needs. She plans to stay connected to stuttering and fluency work as well.