Rebecca Nuzzi: Making the Right Choice

by Cecil Harris

After being accepted by seven graduate schools, Rebecca Nuzzi faced an important decision about where to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology.

“Adelphi was the right choice for me because it has a small-classroom environment and the professors are so intelligent and dedicated,” said Ms. Nuzzi, who had also been accepted by Columbia University, Brooklyn College, both the Brooklyn and C.W. Post campuses of Long Island University, The College of Saint Rose and Hofstra University. “When I went to Hofstra’s open house, I didn’t feel welcomed. The professors were cold. But when I came to Adelphi, everybody was welcoming. When I asked questions, everybody was able to answer them.”

What also impressed Ms. Nuzzi was the Ruth S. Ammon School of Education’s commitment to experiential learning for student-clinicians. During the Fall 2013 semester, Ms. Nuzzi joined fellow students from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders Amanda Castellano and Rachel Fernandes on a team supervised by Susan Lederer, Ph.D., in TOTalk, a program that treats toddlers with speech-language delays.

TOTalk, created by Dr. Lederer in 1998, helps children develop verbal skills through various forms of language intervention, including focused stimulation––clinicians reduce the number of words they introduce to a child and repeat those words until the child learns to say them.

“Adelphi helps you grow as a clinician,” said Ms. Nuzzi, who received her bachelor’s degree at St. Joseph’s College in her hometown of Brooklyn, New York. “TOTalk was my first clinical experience. All I had done before was observe. Adelphi’s program is not just about what you learn in books. They also teach you how to apply it in a clinical environment, which is the most important thing––knowing how to give therapy.”

Adelphi University also offers Ms. Nuzzi the flexibility she needs. She takes graduate courses on Sundays year-round at the Garden City campus while working as a substitute teacher during the week. In addition to pursuing a master’s degree, Ms. Nuzzi is working toward a New York State bilingual certification. “I want to work as a bilingual speech-language pathologist,” she said, “and I need a certain amount of bilingual courses to be able to work with Spanish-speaking children.”

Because of Adelphi’s emphasis on hands-on learning, its flexible class schedules and knowledgeable and supportive faculty, Ms. Nuzzi is confident about achieving her career goals.