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Delaney Mandel, MS ’20: Led Therapy Sessions with Children, Lip-Synched to The Beatles

Emerson Today is profiling recent graduates to hear about their time at the College and their plans for the future.

Delaney Mandel stands and smiles
Delaney Mandel ’20 MS

Hometown: Columbus, Ohio

Q: Tell us about your time at Emerson.

Mandel: I have spent the past two years in the master of science program in Communication Disorders, where I have engaged in graduate-level coursework and gained hands-on experience working with people living with communication and speech disorders. I spent my time in class, studying for exams, completing projects, planning/running therapy sessions in our university clinic, and working at various external placements around the city!

My favorite and most unique experience at Emerson has been working as a second-year intern for the Thayer-Lindsley Family Centered Program for Deaf and Hard of Hearing toddlers. As an intern, my role was to provide one-on-one treatment sessions with a child and their parents. In our sessions, I would provide treatment that focused on the development of auditory skills, speech, receptive and expressive language. I also helped plan and facilitate the toddler group therapy sessions when needed by setting up the classroom, running music time, reading books, or running snack time.

Q: What was your favorite class and why?

Mandel: My favorite class was on the topic of Autism Spectrum Disorder. My professor was very engaging and informative as we learned about the history of the disorder and its symptomology, as well as common assessments and treatment approaches, we will use in our field. I looked forward to each class and felt challenged by my professor and peers.

Q: What is your favorite memory from your time at Emerson?

Mandel: My favorite memory at Emerson was the CSD [Communication Sciences and Disorders] talent show that was put on by my own cohort! Both the students and faculty in the department were invited to attend and support the secret talents of our peers. The first-year and second-year students truly bonded during this experience and it was nice to know we had a sense of community at Emerson.

Q: What song or movie best encapsulates or most reminds you of your college years?

Mandel: “I Want to Hold Your Hand” by The Beatles. This was the song our cohort made a lip-sync video to and sent out to faculty once Emerson courses were moved online. The CSD community was always holding each other up and we wish we could have ended the semester together in person!

Q: What are you most proud of?

Mandel: I am most proud of my cohort for working so hard the past two years to complete this challenging program so they can positively impact the lives of so many. We all have supported each other through every obstacle and will continue to do so in the next stage of our lives. I am so proud of how far we all have come these past two years.

Q: What are you doing (or hoping to do) next?

Mandel: I hope to get a job in early intervention working with children ages birth-to-3 who have various types of communication disorders. I will work in the homes of various families, providing speech therapy to their children, teaching strategies, and sharing specialized knowledge related to early development of communication, language, speech, feeding/swallowing, cognition, hearing, emergent literacy, and social/emotional behavior.

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