It's Real
January 8, 2017. First day of the spring semester. First day as an official OSERS grant recipient. Well, technically, I just finished signing the papers and there's only a couple hours left in the day but I am REELING.
Tonight, my cohort and I had our orientation to mark the beginning of our journeys into the world of interprofessional collaborative practice. And it starts with a red folder. You see, these folders contain all the pertinent documents that confirm our agreements to uphold the academic and professional parameters set forth by our project directors in order to receive funds from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), as well as artifacts that track our progress throughout the IPEI grant program. These folders are housed, color-coordinated, in the office of the Director of Grant Support. Since I was a freshman undergrad at Fontbonne, I have seen scholars in 7 cohorts acquire their appropriately-colored, labeled folders that meant they were part of something special, something big. And today I got mine. (ok, done rambling about office supplies)
Being a member of an OSERS cohort - more specifically, the Interprofessional Early Intervention cohort - means that I have the opportunity to receive intensive training to best serve families of children with hearing loss and families of children with high-intensity speech and language needs. And to know that I'm being guided by some of the best professionals and mentors in the game: That's huge. As is learning in the company of future deaf educators and fellow speech-language pathologists who will better my professional preparation and skill set through collaboration, collective guidance, and (probably) emotional support, most likely in the form of stress-crying. Plus, I'm indescribably grateful to be awarded funding for my education (fewer student loans!)
HAPPY DAY.
Scholars with pizza
Cute lil pencils with inscriptions of my new daily affirmations (Thank you, Dr. Voss. You clearly know how to read your audience.)
Scholars with pencils