Catching Up With Alumni | Makenna Saker (BA LING/24)
We caught up with Makenna Saker, who completed a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Linguistics with a concentration in Psycholinguistics and Communication Disorders and a minor in Neuroscience and Mental Health in 2024.
Read on to learn more about what Makenna has been up to since graduating from Carleton University, the key take-aways from her time with SLaLS, and her thoughtful words of advice for students.
What Makenna Has Been Up To
Since graduating from Carleton, Makenna has successfully completed the Communicative Disorders Assistant (CDA) Graduate Certificate program at St. Lawrence College in Kingston, Ontario.
“As part of the CDA program, I completed a placement at Aldershot Audiology, where I learned how to troubleshoot hearing aids, which included tasks like changing wax guards and receiver wires,” Makenna shares.
Makenna recently started the online Hearing Aid Practitioner (HAP) diploma program at MacEwan University in Edmonton, Alberta, and has also taken on the role of Communicative Disorders Assistant with Whisper Audiology Hearing Clinic in Hamilton, Ontario.
Makenna’s Experience in SLaLS
“I really enjoyed my time at Carleton,” Makenna notes. “It gave me the tools and confidence I needed to take the next steps in my education and career.”
“The variety of classes I took at Carleton also allowed me to explore different areas and figure out which direction I wanted to take after graduation.”
“Courses like Child Language, Phonetics, and Phonology gave me a strong theoretical foundation that has been directly relevant to my current studies,” Makenna shares. “Having this background has helped me succeed in my coursework and hands-on training.”
Words of Advice for SLaLS Students
“If you’re in the same boat as I was, unsure if Speech-Language Pathology or Audiology (or maybe both!) is your true passion, know that you don’t need to rush into a Master’s program. There are excellent graduate certificate and diploma options that allow you to explore the fields further, gain hands-on experience, and make a more informed decision about your future.”
“Also, take a variety of LING courses,” Makenna advises. “The special topic courses are often really engaging and might just spark an unexpected interest.”
“And don’t be afraid to reach out to professionals in the field. Everyone’s path is different, and it’s completely okay not to have all the answers right away.”
Interested in learning more about our programs?
Visit our Programs and Course Offerings page to learn about the undergraduate and graduate programs that we offer here in the School of Linguistics and Language Studies.
Are you a SLaLS graduate?
We would love to know what you have been up to! Check out our Alumni page to meet our amazing graduates and to learn more about how to stay connected with the SLaLS community.