91ÉçÇø

91ÉçÇø PhD student Emmanuel Kwaku Addo doesn’t let his stutter stop him from doing what he is passionate about — instead, he is working to find new ways to support others like him.

After spending his first 33 years in Ghana, where he completed his undergraduate degree in medical laboratory sciences, worked at a hospital for seven years and earned a master’s degree in speech and language pathology, Addo came to 91ÉçÇø. Here, he studies under Rodney Gabel, professor and founding director of the Division of Speech and Language Pathology (SLP) at Decker College of Nursing and Health Sciences and is also a doctoral student in the College of Community and Public Affairs’ (CCPA’s) Community Research in Action (CRA) program.

Addo felt ostracized in Ghana due to the lack of support for people who stutter. After years of confusion and frustration, he gained an understanding of what stuttering is and why it occurs. Now, he is conducting research and working to gather support from speech-language pathologists to help people who stutter in Ghana and the U.S.

He was recently awarded the International Graduate Student Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation, and spoke with BingUNews about what being recognized with this award means and how it will help his future research.

Tell us about your doctoral studies in CCPA’s Community Research in Action program and Decker College’s SLP program.

I started my PhD in the fall of 2023. I just completed my comprehensive exams, which I passed, and I am writing my proposal for my dissertation. I’m also reading to prepare for the next milestone — my proposal defense.

The CRA program is multidisciplinary; it’s not specific to speech and language pathology, so I interact with professors from different fields like social work, education and disability studies. It has really broadened my understanding of research, as they all offer different angles and approaches to teaching and researching that I can learn from.

I’m a graduate assistant and a teaching assistant in the SLP program; I don’t take courses there. I am doing my clinical fellowship as a speech and language pathologist. I see clients and mentor student clinicians during our intensive stuttering clinics.

Being part of CCPA and Decker College gave me the advantage of learning from varied professors, which helped my research and education.

What does receiving the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation’s Graduate Student Scholarship mean to you?

I heard about this award three years ago, when I was new to the program. I didn’t think I had much to discuss in my application at the time, so I waited and applied last year for the International Graduate Student Scholarship and the New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship. I didn’t win either of them.

But I persisted. I have participated in a lot of community engagements and support activities for people who stutter in the U.S., Ghana and across Africa. I also researched professional development for SLPs in Ghana and presented at national and international conferences. This year, I knew I had something to talk about. I applied again, and was recognized.

The International Graduate Student Scholarship is given to three students in the U.S. To have won it validates all the years of hard work that I’ve put into supporting people who stutter and my research on stuttering. Of course, it will also relieve me of some financial strain because it will help pay for books, software for research and my rent.

Winning this award really motivates me. It recognizes my hard work and means that I can do more for my field — for people who stutter. I didn’t put in all this work for recognition; I did it to support people like myself and to make sure that the next generation of people who stutter has better care and support.

As part of the application process, I’ve been working with speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and researchers in the U.S. to help support SLPs in Ghana. The SLP program in Ghana is new and currently has around 64 SLPs serving a country of approximately 35 million people. None of the SLPs in Ghana are stuttering experts; they want to support people who stutter, but they don’t have adequate resources, knowledge or clinical skills to do so effectively.

In collaboration with SLPs and researchers in the U.S., we held two trainings last year and wrote a paper about our results that we presented at state and national conferences. We also submitted it for publication. Some of that work also contributed to my winning the scholarship.

What drew you to 91ÉçÇø?

My advisor, Professor Gabel, was the main reason I came to 91ÉçÇø. Before even thinking of applying to do my PhD, I enrolled in a professional development in Ghana organized by Professor Gabel. SLPs and people who stutter were invited to participate.

I learned a lot about stuttering as a person who stutters, as the president of the Ghana Stammering Association and as a graduate SLP student.

I was looking for an opportunity to further my research skills and become an expert in stuttering. I thought it wise to look for someone who understands stuttering as it pertains to Africa and who has interacted with international students. Professor Gabel was that person. Now, I’m here at 91ÉçÇø studying under his mentorship. He is an excellent advisor and friend.

Additionally, the diverse student population at 91ÉçÇø was another aspect that attracted me. I was looking for a place where I could meet people like myself and that I could call home. 91ÉçÇø is that place.

What inspired you to pursue speech and language pathology?

Growing up in Ghana as a person who stutters was very challenging. Stuttering was not something that was spoken about ... I never spoke about stuttering with my parents, and it never came up in conversations. In school, I was bullied, teased, laughed at and called names.

When I was defending my project work for my bachelor’s degree [in Ghana], I stuttered a lot, leaving me feeling embarrassed and ashamed. I told myself that I would never go through that again. I wasn’t going to put myself on the spot and be forced to speak anymore.

Fast-forward to when I started working. I eventually became a deputy department manager. At one point, I had to give a presentation to management. It was just a report, and I had months to prepare. It became months of torture because I was constantly thinking about how the day was going to be and how I was going to present this in front of all these people I saw as authority figures. I did my best, but I blamed myself for stuttering that day. I didn’t know anything about stuttering then and hated myself for it.

When I got back home, I started reading, trying to understand what my stuttering issue could be. I chanced upon the autobiography of an SLP from Croatia who is a professor in speech and language pathology and who is a person who stutters. I was shocked; I didn’t know that someone who stutters could become a professor.

I quickly became interested in the SLP field. I found out that it was something I could do because my undergraduate degree in medical laboratory sciences covered many prerequisites. I applied to graduate school and did my master’s degree. Because the program was in speech and language pathology, most of the students and faculty were understanding of my stuttering. It really built my confidence and allowed me to show my academic achievements.

Eventually, I started to think that if I can do this as a master’s student, why not become an expert in stuttering? We didn’t have any stuttering experts in Ghana. (I am still the first SLP from Ghana who stutters and is involved in stuttering research.) That is one of the things that motivated me to push on.

After working as a biomedical scientist for seven years, I completely switched to SLP. Many people told me that I was wasting my time, but since taking that step, I have never looked back. It has always been a good experience for me, and it keeps building my confidence.

After completing your PhD, what do you hope to accomplish?

I want to continue in academia to help train more SLPs. I want to mentor the next batch of professionals.

Being in this profession will allow me to help students understand more about stuttering through my lived experience.

I would also like to continue researching stuttering and self-help groups. I gained a lot from self-help groups in Ghana, and I am interested in advancing research in this area to understand the psychological benefits of attending these groups.

There are some countries, in Africa in particular, where there are very few SLPs. Even in places where there are SLPs, they are very expensive. The average person who needs their help or support cannot afford it. Self-help groups are one way of bridging that gap. Before SLPs become accessible, people who stutter can form a community to support themselves. Research has shown that there are advantages in doing that. I’m also interested in the impact of stuttering across the lifespan.

You are invited to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association conference in November in Washington, D.C. What are you most looking forward to?

I will be presenting two of my works at the conference. The first paper looks at the nature of stuttering discussions in an online community in Ghana. The other paper looks at models and theories in public health that have not been used much in the SLP space or to study stuttering.

Additionally, I will be honored at the reception for my International Graduate Student Scholarship Award. I am also a part of a program where I am mentored by an SLP researcher and clinician. I will have the opportunity to meet him, interact with him and get to know more from him to advance my research skills.

As an international student, what have your experiences at 91ÉçÇø offered you?

The Community Research in Action program has enhanced my research skills. It’s the best thing that has happened to me because of its community-driven approach. Our research is not just about having researchers and respondents; there are people participating in what you are doing. It’s about working with the community to ask research questions, answer those questions and make sure whatever you find is actionable. These are things that the community can use.

Another thing I appreciate about 91ÉçÇø is its wide variety of professors. I have learned so many things, such as policy. I even wrote a paper examining the issues surrounding stuttering, the Americans with Disabilities Act and the UK Equality Act. Seeing what these policies are, how these policies can be improved and why these policies are not working as intended was very helpful for my research.

What I especially love is the faculty, both at Decker College and CCPA. They have really made my experience worthwhile. They are very friendly people who are always willing to offer their help and support. And I think that’s important because I’ve communicated with friends in SLP programs across the country, and their experiences don’t compare to mine here at 91ÉçÇø. The faculty are very responsive, always ready to mentor and support you.

What is the most important thing you will take away from your time at 91ÉçÇø?

The diversity on campus has given me a well-rounded understanding of community living. Back in Ghana, we live within a specific culture. It didn’t really give me that rounded understanding of the world. So being able to come to 91ÉçÇø and experience that is something I will take away.

That’s going to help me because there’s a possibility I will have students and clients from different walks of life, nationalities and races. The diverse campus has really helped me build understanding and gain experience working with people all over the world.

Another thing I will be taking away from my time here is a deep, research-driven approach. I believe it will be very helpful in my field of study — looking at people who study and how they can be supported in order to achieve their maximum potential and not be limited due to their stuttering.

Additionally, the responsiveness of faculty members in the SLP department is awesome. Whenever I need any type of support, they are just an email away, and they always respond. They are always willing to give their best to students.

Even though I’m at the receiving end of this support, in a way, I’m also learning from how they are responding. When I become a professor someday, I will be able to support my students in the same way that I am being supported here.