Master's Program

When I started school, I did not speak or understand the English language. I felt completely isolated, and every time I set foot into my kindergarten class I felt scared and confused. At home my parents could not offer me much help with my homework or my situation. They came to the United States with a 6th and 8th grade education respectively. My father was a farm laborer and my mother was a stay at home mother at the time. I got bullied by my peers and often neglected by my kindergarten teacher. I felt lost and alone and I would often come home in tears. I frequently feigned stomach aches just to get away from school and it was not until I saw a group of people in my class get a green tote full of school supplies that my life would take a turn for the better. I inquired about the tote to the woman who was handing them out and she answered me to my surprise in Spanish. She said that the totes were for students whose parents were migrant farm workers. She gave me a packet and instructed me to have my parents fill it out. Within weeks the same woman came to my home and began teaching me bilingually, and when I started the 1st grade I was excelling in school and began learning how to read books in both English and Spanish. When the English language became second-nature to me, I began to perfect my mastery of the Spanish language and by the 5th grade, I could read, write and converse in Spanish and English with the same mastery of a native speaker.
Since I began acquiring knowledge of the English language, I also acquired the title of translator for my parents. They began attending night classes at the local adult school for a few years to learn English but their accent was so profound that communicating with most people still requir...

... middle of paper ...

.... The faculty at Fresno State has allowed me to grow as a student and has given me the tools and the confidence to take the next step to further my education in speech-language pathology.
Given my education, volunteer experience, working with children of various ages, my commitment to diversity, my bilingual ability, and my understanding of the importance of speech and language competency for scholastic success—show me that I am confident and that I would be an excellent fit for the graduate program in speech-language pathology at Fresno State. If admitted into the program, I would put forth my best effort and fully dedicate my time and energy to the program. I feel very strongly that this speech-language pathology program is the perfect fit for me and I would be honored if the Graduate Selection Committee agrees.

Thank you for your consideration,

Nadia C.Guerrero