Filling a Local Need: Meet Russell Sage College’s First Speech-Language Pathology Students

In fall 2025, Russell Sage College welcomed the first students to a new Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program. They were the first students in over a year to pursue speech-language pathology locally, following the 2024 closure of The College of Saint Rose.

Russell Sage launched its B.S in Speech-Language Pathology to fill that gap in New York’s Capital Region, and to offer local students access to a rewarding field where demand is surging. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of speech-language pathologists to grow 15 percent through 2034, which is much faster than the average of all occupations. 

Some of the new speech-language pathology students transferred to Russell Sage specifically for the new degree, while others discovered speech-language pathology after starting in another major or through personal experience. Once on campus, they found something in common: hands-on learning from the first semester and a community of classmates and faculty where, as one student put it, “everyone involved in the program deeply cares.”

Learn what attracted each to the Speech-Language Pathology field, and what they’ve experienced since starting Russell Sage. 

Read a Q&A with Hailey Funk ’28, Schoharie, New York, who saw firsthand how speech therapy can change lives, then changed her major to become part of this rewarding profession. 

Read a Q&A with transfer student Natalie McGlauflin, of Scotia, New York, who was looking for a place to continue her studies in communications sciences and chose Russell Sage for its small class sizes and strong program legacy. 

Read a Q&A with Kiera Ross ’29, of Hudson Falls, New York, a speech-language pathology major who values Russell Sage’s program for giving her hands-on experience at an on-campus speech clinic — even as a first-year student.

Read a Q&A with Isabella Sepulveda ’29, of Schenectady, New York, who found her way to speech-language pathology after a social media moment that showed her the impact a speech therapist can have. 

See Russell Sage’s career tip sheet for students interested in speech-language pathology or visit its Speech-Language Pathology program page for curriculum details, clinical opportunities, and admissions information.