Orientation (mid-June at the start of the program)

During this three-day orientation, students will have the chance to develop meaningful relationships with their fellow cohort members and esteemed faculty. The program begins with a student and faculty breakfast, followed by two days dedicated to acquainting students with Northwestern’s resources, which includes meetings with the IT team to ensure a seamless online experience and a collaboration with the campus librarian to gain access to Northwestern’s extensive collection of online journals. In addition to summer course introductions, students will engage in a book club discussion centered around stimulating and managing innovative thinking, qualities essential for future change leaders. On one of the evenings (TBD), first-year students will have the opportunity to dine and socialize with the faculty and second-year students who are on campus for their second residency. The SLPD program orientation culminates in an all-day team dynamics workshop, led by Gail Berger, an Assistant Professor of Instruction from the Kellogg School of Management. Lunch will be provided on all residency days, and a small travel stipend will be distributed post hoc to assist with travel costs.

Summer Symposium (mid-June at the juncture between the first and second year)

The three-day summer symposium marks the transition between the first and second year of the program. This week is focused on culminating project preparation and ongoing professional development. Students will participate in workshops aimed at enhancing presentation skills and leadership abilities. Additionally, they will engage in a book club to discuss productivity theory and scheduling design, crucial for optimizing concentration during cognitively intensive work such as their culminating projects. Each student will have individual and small group meetings with their faculty mentor to delve deep into their culminating project frameworks. Finally, individual professional development meetings are held to discuss each student’s short and long-term career goals and program specialization tracks. After the three-day symposium, students will be well-prepared to dive into their culminating projects. The second-year students are provided the option to meet and socialize with the newest cohort and faculty during an evening dinner social. Lunch will be provided on all residency days, and a small travel stipend will be distributed post hoc to assist with travel costs.

School of Communication CSD  Professional Programs Graduation, optional (early to mid-June)

After successfully defending their culminating projects in March, students will return to campus alongside their peers, departmental faculty, and loved ones to celebrate the remarkable achievement of earning their Doctor of Speech-Language Pathology degree. The celebration takes place during the School of Communication’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Hooding Ceremony where graduates from all three CSD Professional Programs (SLPD, AuD, & MS SLL) will receive individual recognition and be hooded by their faculty mentor. Graduates may also choose to participate in additional graduation weekend events, including the Northwestern University-wide Commencement.