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Student Spotlight: Tessa Bradley

By Ania Boutin | Dec 2, 2024

Honors student Ania Boutin joins the newsletter team this year to interview her peers in the Honors College. For Ania's first interview, meet Tessa Bradley! Tessa is a senior majoring in communication disorders with dreams of becoming a speech language pathologist. 

Why did you choose ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½?
My older brother and sister both went to ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½, so when it came time to start applying to schools, it was already at the top of my list. I have always loved the campus and heard plenty of stories about how kind and supportive the community is. However, taking a tour of my academic building and meeting some of my department’s amazing faculty confirmed in my mind that ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ was where I wanted to call home for the next four years. I was confident that ÌìÃÀ´«Ã½ would provide the opportunities I needed to grow academically and as a leader.

Why did you choose your major and what do you like about it?
I chose to major in Communication Disorders because I plan to become a speech-language pathologist. Communication is the heart of connection and SLPs help people of all ages and backgrounds effectively express themselves and understand those around them. I’m excited to help my future clients in this way to improve their overall well-being and quality of life.

I love everything about my program. We have so many hands-on projects that help us put what we’re learning into practice and prepare us for our future careers. Also, because the field of speech-language pathology is so wide-ranging, our classes have a lot of variety in their content which helps to keep things exciting. For example, in one class we’ll discuss strokes and watch videos of surgeons breaking up brain blood clots, and in the next, we’ll play with dolls and farm toys to practice our play skills.

What really makes the CDI department shine are our amazing course instructors. They are all so passionate about the field and excited to help students excel. Plus you can tell that they are all friends and actually enjoy working with one another which adds a fun energy to the program. I always look forward to seeing their group costume at our department’s Halloween party each year.

What do you like about being part of the Honors College?
I love how the Honors College encourages you to step outside of your comfort zone while providing the support system you need to succeed. It’s amazing how far a little encouragement can take you, and thanks to the Honors College, I have achieved things I never thought I could, like studying abroad and writing an honors thesis. These experiences have been so rewarding.

The Honors College is also a great community through which I have built so many friendships. Living in Franklin Hall means that I also get to live right alongside so many members of the Honors College which makes it so much easier to form connections and support one another.

What do you do in your free time?
I try to stay active on campus as much as possible. Since my freshman year, I have really found my home with Springer-Franklin’s Residential College Council. I started as Outreach chair, then moved on to social media, vice president, and now president. My main goal has always been to make Franklin a welcoming and inclusive place where no one feels alone. We hold multiple events every month and really try to bring students together and build community. Seeing the positive impact these can have has been incredibly fulfilling.

What was your study abroad experience like?
I studied abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, during the summer of 2023, and it was a life-changing experience. The city’s architecture is so beautiful and truly made it feel like I was waking up in a fairytale each day. Learning to live in and navigate a place where I didn’t even speak the language helped to boost my independence and confidence in myself.

Prague is also a city filled with history which made my time there even more meaningful. One of the classes I took focused on Prague during World War II and the Cold War. It was eye-opening to learn about the atrocities that had occurred during these periods, the resilience of the people who endured them, and see firsthand how these events shaped the city and its culture.