SLP Hosts Future Scholars in Bridging Voices Study-Away Experience
Published January 27, 2026
By Darlene Muguiro
UTEP College of Health Sciences
Four students in University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program had a glimpse of a possible future career in research while simultaneously enjoying the best of what UTEP and El Paso have to offer during a two-week visit to campus earlier this month, through the Project Bridging Voices program.
Supported by the American Speech-Hearing Association’s Grant Program for Projects on Multicultural Activities, Project Bridging Voices is an exchange program between UTEP and UW-Madison focused on collaboration, mentorship and immersive training in multicultural settings. Participants engage in client care, research training, vocational Spanish, and professional development, paving the way for future doctoral education in bilingualism and careers in communication sciences and disorders. The exchange is now in its fourth year. Dr. Amelia Rau, clinical associate professor of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, said the emphasis of the portion held at UTEP is on multicultural and multilingual clinical applications.
“We aim to provide anchored experiences that are directly relevant to healthcare practice in our borderland context,” she said. “Our cross-campus and community-wide colleagues in bilingualism and interdisciplinary health sciences generously supported the program through a series of focused visits, talks, and tours.”
UW students were hosted for lab tours and small-group conversations with professors and doctoral students in the Departments of Psychology, Counseling and Special Education, Linguistics, and Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences. Academic experiences were paired with bilingual diagnostic rotations and visits with CHS professors Dr. Vannesa Mueller, Ms. Kendra Rosales, Dr. Eva Moya and Dr. Greg Schober, as well as community-based learning at the Ambrosio Guillen Texas State Veterans Home, Centro San Vicente, The El Paso Community Foundation, and the Kelly Center for Hunger Relief.
UW student Amelia Tang said she was particularly drawn to the program because of a desire to improve her Spanish as well as her goals related to learning about bilingual research and practice.
“The program’s strong multicultural focus helped me better understand how to serve clients from diverse backgrounds,” she said. “I had hoped to gain more clinical experience and learn through cultural immersion, and through our visits to various sites, as well as learning practical skills such as using bilingual AAC pages and taking classes in vocational Spanish and ASL, I can say that my goals were definitely met.”
UW student Hana Dussan, an aspiring bilingual SLP with a longer-term goal of obtaining a PhD, says she “jumped at the opportunity” to participate once she learned she would be headed to a city where 80% of the population speaks Spanish. She says she easily met her goal to increase her technical Spanish speaking skills. Interestingly, one of the most valuable experiences she had during her time on the border was not tied to an academic or professional learning outcome, but to an iconic El Paso restaurant.
“I really valued learning about the El Paso culture through food,” she said. “I ate really well for the 12 days I was there, and I felt like a true El Pasoan after trying Chico’s Tacos. It was a true bonding experience.”
Tang and fellow UW student Sofia James said their experiences also led them to consider a future career in research, with Tang aiming to focus on translational research and James looking to begin the process by first expanding her professional network.
“I definitely intend to pursue research in my future,” she said. “This program has helped me to feel more confident in connecting with professors in the field and collaborating with them.”
While fellow UW student Evelyn Anton also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to learn more about bilingualism and life in a border context, she said her main goal was to gain a better understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration and how that can benefit future clients.
“I was intrigued by our discussion with Dr. Greg Schober about Medicaid and SNAP benefits, and how that is connected to speech and language outcomes,” she said. “It was really interesting to think about speech and language outcomes through a public health and policy lens.”
Rau said the UTEP Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences has high expectations for their continued partnership with UW Madison as the Bridging Voices program continues to evolve.
“We hope to continue growing this exchange in bilingual communication sciences and disorders while highlighting UTEP’s strength in interdisciplinary borderland collaboration and our unique role for advancing research and supporting developing scholars whose work intersects with bilingualism.”
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Go Miners!
For more information about the Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, please visit: www.utep.edu/chs/slp.
