Kristen Mullins graduated from Auburn in 2007 with a degree in communication disorders. She returned to pursue a graduate degree in speech-language pathology and graduated in 2009. Currently, she works as the project director for the KidTalk Speech project at Vanderbilt University and as a language-speech pathologist at Vanderbilt Hospital.
Q: Tell me how your interest in speech pathology came about, as you started out your college career at Furman University, a school without that field of study, then transferred to Auburn to pursue that profession.
I decided to pursue a career in speech pathology because I wanted to serve children in a one-on-one setting. After a close friend shared with me about her ongoing struggles resulting from an undiagnosed reading disability, I felt led to pursue a program where I could help other kids in the same situation. Initially, I began my college career at Furman to pursue a degree as a physical therapist, and as I learned more about the opportunities as a speech-language pathologist that did not involve causing physical discomfort to a young child, I decided to find a university that offered a speech pathology program. My family has strong ties to Auburn, and God opened a door for me to transfer and begin my coursework at Auburn.
Q: How did you make the most of your time at Auburn?
During my time at Auburn, I was involved in the National Student Speech Language and Hearing Association chapter to further my knowledge of the profession. I spent most of my time attending football games, enjoying my friends and finding ways to give back to the Auburn community.
Q: How do you feel your Auburn diplomas helped distinguish you in the job market?
Auburn is a well-known and respected University. When I have applied for jobs, future employers have been positive about the knowledge base that Auburn alumni have obtained.
Q: When did you start working at Vanderbilt? How did that opportunity come about?
I began my job at Vanderbilt in November 2009. I applied for a job that a friend told me about working as a speech-language pathologist in Birmingham. Unbeknownst to me, the job was funded by a Vanderbilt research grant. When the research team received my application, they contacted me about a better and more permanent position in Nashville and asked if I would be interested in interviewing. The job sounded wonderful, the interview went smoothly and I made a quick move to Nashville.
Q: Tell us about your experience with Vanderbilt. What do your duties include?
I have greatly enjoyed my experience at Vanderbilt. I am a project director for an early intervention research grant that serves children ages 1-4 with repaired cleft lip or cleft palate or both.
My duties include recruiting patients and families to participate in the project, providing speech-language evaluation and treatment to patients with cleft lip or cleft palate, collaborating with other professionals (e.g., plastic surgeons, nurse practitioners, orthodontists, etc.) that see children with cleft lip or cleft palate or both, directing data collection for the research grant, managing and promoting team collaboration, providing support and networking opportunities for parents of children with cleft lip or cleft palate, training students, parents and professionals to implement speech-language strategies in home, clinical and classroom settings and presenting research outcomes at local and national conferences.
Q: What are your long-term career goals? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
My long-term career goals are to continue pursuing a career as a speech-language pathologist, ideally working with the cleft palate population. I am interested in private practice and hope to start a nonprofit clinic that would benefit children with special needs and provide services to families that do not have the economic means to cover costs on their own.
Q: Has your experience in the workforce been what you expected while you studied at Auburn? How did Auburn prepare you for the "real world?"
Preparing for life in the real world is a challenging goal for any university. Auburn's speech pathology program provided me with multiple clinical opportunities outside of the University. I was able to see pediatric and adult patients in a variety of settings. My experiences working with other speech-language pathologists helped me to better understand and set realistic expectations for my career.
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