Hometown: West Plains, Missouri
Occupation: Speech Language Pathology at Ozark Medical Center
All Degrees: AA General Studies-Missouri State University-West Plains, BS Communication Sciences & Disorders-Missouri State University, MA Speech Language Pathology- Louisiana Tech University
“Don’t choose a school just because your friends are going to that school. Tour different schools and ask important questions about your future while there.”
Like most high school students, Brady Peterson Sharp’s friend group was very important to her. Following her high school graduation, she was saddened to see many of her friends move away to far-off colleges while she stayed in place; however, she knew it was the best choice for her future.
“I was eager to use my A+ scholarship to fund my first two years of college, but I was also able to stack scholarships and save money for when I needed to transfer to get my bachelor’s degree. Now I’ve graduated with a master’s degree and I’ve hardly any loans to pay back while they are $100,000 or more in debt,” Sharp said. “It’s important to remember these things when thinking about your education.”
Although West Plains has a small-town feel, the Missouri State University-West Plains provides plenty of opportunities that are found at larger universities. Between the Division I sports, a diverse array of clubs and organizations, and the dedicated staff and faculty, Sharp said it made for an experience she will remember forever. The size of the campus easily facilitates the building of relationships between faculty and staff and students.
“These relationships later provided me with great references and resources as I started my graduate and professional experience,” Sharp said.
“From the lessons I learned at Missouri State-West Plains, I now put 100 percent effort into anything I’m learning or in my professional career.”
Although she learned many valuable things in class, Sharp says it was the experiences outside the classroom that spurred her growth into the person she is now. She credits the organizations and clubs she was involved in for allowing her to meet some of her closest friends and professional colleagues.
One of these was the Student Ambassador organization. “This organization was the first experience of my adult life to instill the foundational skills needed to be a successful student and professional in my years to come,” Sharp said. “The lessons I learned about responsibility and teamwork started the framework for the lessons I would learn to finish my master’s degree and build relationships in my professional life.”
Being an involved student at Missouri State-West Plains showed her that college would intellectually challenge her, and she remains grateful to have started her career at a college that not only challenged its students academically, but encouraged them to make learning a passion.
“Missouri State-West Plains was the best decision I made to build the foundation of where I am now.”
Thanks to the broad spectrum of career possibilities available with her degrees, Sharp is licensed to work in early intervention, schools, hospitals and rehab facilities. She feels confident she can take the skills learned to any area or population that may need her.
“The thing I love about the field of Speech Language Pathology is how broad the profession is. I have spent my time during my graduate degree working with babies, children, young adults and geriatrics. It is amazing to see the things I learned in class used first hand on a patient and see the progress we make in improving quality of life,” she said.
One such instance involved an elderly patient who needed rehabilitation to help him swallow after a stroke.
“The patient was put on a specialized diet for his safety that consisted of pureed foods and thickened liquids,” Sharp said. “He believed he would never be able to eat the foods he loved again, but with hard work and perseverance, we were able to get him back on a regular diet.”