Local Student Discusses Benefits Of Cleveland State's Cooperative Education Class

  • Friday, July 31, 2015
Cleveland State Community College cooperative education student Haze Ms. Geren received hands-on experience working with Mary Wilson, Speech/Language Pathologist at Ingleside Elementary School while enrolled at CSCC. Pictured from left to right are Ms. Wilson and Ms. Geren.
Cleveland State Community College cooperative education student Haze Ms. Geren received hands-on experience working with Mary Wilson, Speech/Language Pathologist at Ingleside Elementary School while enrolled at CSCC. Pictured from left to right are Ms. Wilson and Ms. Geren.

When Haze Geren signed up for a cooperative education class at Cleveland State, she thought she was simply taking a class to gain some experience to put on a resume,  advice she was given during a proactive interviewing workshop offered by the Business and Technology Department. She had no idea the wealth of knowledge that she would gain during the co-op and that it would lead her to pursue her dream of becoming a speech/language pathologist.

Ms.

Geren had taken an Intro to Early Childhood Education class with Margaret Horten, Early Childhood Education Instructor, prior to signing up for the co-op class. It was at this time that she was introduced to the field of speech therapy. She told Susan Webb-Curtis, the Director of Cooperative Education and Service-Learning, that she was interested in speech therapy.

Ms. Webb-Curtis paired Ms. Geren up with Mary Wilson, the Speech/Language Pathologist at Ingleside Elementary School. Once Wilson met with Ms. Geren, they agreed upon a set schedule of when Ms. Geren would work alongside Wilson, in addition to Ms. Geren’s goals for the semester.

Ms. Wilson stated, “It was wonderful to have Haze because not only was she interested in being here, but she came in and was able to learn the day-to-day workings of a speech pathologist.  I was able to point out throughout the course of the week the different responsibilities that you have that only happen occasionally or those that happen every day, so she was able to get a snapshot of what the job really involves, rather than just a typical job shadow for a day where you might not get a good picture.”

Ms. Geren stated, “This internship basically made my decision for me. I was really able to experience what a speech/language pathologist does. I didn’t know what to expect because I had never been around a speech therapist before and never watched them on the job before. There was a lot more to it than I expected, but once I got there, I just knew that it was what I wanted to do.”

Ms. Wilson, who has been a speech/language pathologist for over 30 years, also arranged for Ms. Geren to work with Micki Harrison, the Speech/Language Pathologist at City Park Elementary School. Harrison has been out of college for three years. This provided Ms. Geren the opportunity to see two different perspectives on the field of speech pathology—something which proved very beneficial for her. Harrison had also attended East Tennessee State University, the college where Ms. Geren is transferring this fall, which was another reason Wilson wanted the two to meet.

“Mary Wilson and Micki Harrison were outstanding mentors,” stated Ms. Webb-Curtis. “Ms. Wilson had been in the speech pathology field for years in a wide variety of settings and was able to provide Haze with amazing insight into the field.  Ms. Harrison was a recent college graduate and was able to provide Haze with great information about college programs and the job market for this field. During my co-op site visit, I learned that there is a strong job demand in this field, and so I am excited for the opportunity to place other interested students in the future.”

Ms. Wilson said she knew Ms. Geren was in the right profession when she came back after the first day! “A lot of people would have spent one day with me and changed their major! But, not Haze! Her interest was sparked after the first day. She stuck around and asked more and more questions. She wanted to know why I did what I did for different cases. It really made her dive right in!”

Ms. Geren said initially, the length of the program was a deterrent for her. She wasn’t sure that she wanted to go to college six years, the amount of time it takes to become a speech/language pathologist. However, after her internship at Ingleside, she changed her mind. During her time there, she was able to see a lot of befores and afters of children with speech and language delays and describes her experience as “very rewarding.”

“When I saw how much I cared about the kids, I didn’t care about the length of the program anymore,” stated Ms. Geren. “All I care about is the kids. I think the co-op class has been my favorite class because it helped me know that this is exactly what I want to do. When I first started at CSCC, I was kind of lost. I think everyone should have to complete a co-op class. Just to be able to get that hands-on experience has really made a difference!”

The internship did not just help Ms. Geren with her career decision. She has a cousin who has a speech disability and through this internship, she was able to find out more about it and assist her family members in their knowledge of the disability.

Ms. Wilson said, “This is the beginning of how life-long mentoring works. Haze now has two speech/language pathologists that she can turn to for guidance when she is in college. That is a huge benefit of this cooperative education program—the relationships that you develop.”

Ms. Webb-Curtis said, “Haze Ms. Geren is a perfect example of a serious student who sought out an internship experience to gain hands-on career experience.  Through volunteering with the Athens City School System and working directly with speech therapists, Haze confirmed that this is the right career for her. The internship also provided her with documented field experience when she applies to the speech therapy program at a 4-year university, and she now has strong references as well. I hope other CSCC students will consider a cooperative education class as a chance to gain hands-on experience in their field, build professional references and to confirm that the career field they have chosen is a good fit.”

Ms. Geren is the daughter of Leslie Yoder of Etowah and Stacey and Melissa Geren of Athens.

For more information on the cooperative education program at Cleveland State, call (423) 614-8718 or email coopeducation@clevelandstatecc.edu.

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