Pennsylvania Western University Students Provide Speech Therapy in Belize

Two students from Pennsylvania Western University (PennWest) in Clarion spent their summer providing speech therapy in Belize. Allison Clark from Shippenville and Michaela Armanini from DuBois, both recent graduates with degrees in speech pathology and audiology, participated in this hands-on clinical experience as part of a 13-person team from PennWest. The group worked under the auspices of Therapy Abroad, an Idaho-based organisation that offers immersive short-term experiences for students in need-based communities.

Clark and Armanini joined other students from the Clarion campus, as well as representatives from Edinboro and California, to deliver clinical services. Their work, supervised by Dr. Melissa Brydon and Dr. Kristen West, focused on assessing and intervening with children identified as having speech or language concerns. The students visited different schools daily, providing necessary assessments and therapies, often seeing multiple students in a single day.

The experience in Belize was particularly valuable due to the country’s limited resources—there are only two speech-language pathologists for its 400,000 residents. Clark noted that their team of twelve significantly contributed by leaving behind all their therapy resources and notes, which would aid local therapists.

Despite coping with extreme heat and wildfires, the students found the experience rewarding. They highlighted the warm reception and appreciation from the local community, which reinforced the value of their efforts. Clark and Armanini emphasised the importance of learning about a different culture while applying their clinical skills in a real-world setting.

This initiative marked the first time PennWest Clarion students in the communication sciences and disorders programme performed speech-language therapy in Belize. The success of this trip has set the stage for future clinical outreaches, with plans already underway for annual trips to both Belize and Spain.