Tiffany Wong

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Major & Minor
Major: Speech, Language & Hearing Sciences
Minor: Public Health

Hometown
Scottsdale, AZ

What made you choose your science major at this school?

• I knew I wanted to work with kids, and working in the field of speech-language pathology would be the perfect way to do that! Studying speech, language, and hearing sciences in the college of science set me up with the classes and experiences I needed to apply for graduate school.

How hard were the intro science classes compared to high school?

• I think that the intro science classes are tougher, mainly due to the difference in learning format between the high school and university. Going from attending a class five times a week to having class two or three times a week is a change that I had to adjust to freshman year. To succeed, you must take on the responsibility of monitoring where you stand with understanding the content.

Do professors actually teach, or are most classes taught by TAs?

• All of my classes have been taught be professors. From my experience, TAs do a lot of the grading and provide extra support through office hours, though all of my professors also host their own office hours.

How easy is it to get help if you’re struggling in a science class?

• If you're struggling in a science class, there are so many lines of help easily accessible. Many classes have preceptors, who have previously taken and succeeded in the class, and a TA, so their are many opportunities to seek help during class or during office hours.

When can students start doing research (freshman year or later)?

• You can start as early as your freshman year!

How did you get involved in research or labs?

• I first got involved with research in the Plante Lab by working at their research-based summer camp, Talk MOORE Summer Camp, the summer after my freshman year. I spent six weeks working with preschool-aged children with developmental language disorder. Since then I have worked on several projects simultaneously, working with individuals four to twenty-five years old. Some of the work I've done has now evolved into an honors thesis project.

Are research opportunities competitive or fairly accessible?

• From my experience, research has been fairly accessible. Especially, in the SLHS department, our researcher want to provide students with opportunities to learn, and they are always encouraging students to engage with research.

Do students get paid for research or is it mostly for credit?

• Both! Initially, I earned "Independent Study" credit hours, but now I complete some of my hours for credit and some of my hours pay through the FUERZA program.

What does a typical week look like for a science major?

• Since there is so much variety within the college of science, I can only speak for what my weeks look like. Outside of class, I spend about sixteen hours working in my research lab. This spans from going to preschools to administer language and cognitive tests to sitting at a computer and processing data. I spend about six hours a week volunteering with the Children's Clinic and another four working with kids at Saguaro City Music Theatre. As an SLHS major, I have also had the opportunity to serve as a clinical assistant in the speech clinic here on campus, where I worked with pediatric clients once a week. I spend a few hours a week tutoring high school science and math, and I'm always sure to squeeze in time for friends between homework and studying. While I love to keep myself busy, it's important to find balance and make time for fun in your schedule.

How much time do you actually spend studying?

• I'm not sure that I'm the best example, but I really don't spend a lot of time studying. A few hours for an upcoming exam has generally been enough for me.

What’s the hardest science class you’ve taken—and why?

• I think the hardest science class I've taken was Honors Chemical Thinking. Chemistry is just really my kind of science. All of my other science classes have been major specific, like Neuroscience of Communication or Language Science. I think that my interest in these topics made the courses intrinsically easier for me.

What do you wish you had known before coming here?

• I wish I would've known that when it rains there is almost no way to avoid wet socks and soaked shoes.

What clubs and/or organizations are you involved with?

• On campus, I am involved with National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and Speech, Language, and Hearing Cats of Color (SHCC). Off campus, I am a volunteer with the Children's Clinics of Southern Arizona, volunteering both in the clinic and with their various programming, like adaptive rec.

What are your future plans after graduation?

• I plan to pursue a master of science in speech-language pathology with the goal of becoming a pediatric speech-language pathologist.