A Profile Of Jeannie Knish

Currently pursuing a career in Speech-Language Pathology, Nest 829, Whiting, Ind., member Jeannie Knish hopes to continue her passion of helping people of all ages.

While at Indiana’s Saint Mary’s College, Jeannie was afforded the opportunity to volunteer at an assisted living community. It was there she befriended a 95-year-old lady named Geraldine, who Jeannie would regularly read letters to because she was blind. The time spent with Geraldine convinced Jeannie to pursue this career choice.

Upon graduating from St. Mary’s in 2004, Jeannie went to Illinois, studied at Governors State University, received a second Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Disorders and was accepted into the school’s graduate program for Speech-Language Pathology. While carrying a full load of graduate classes, Jeannie worked as a speech-language assistant for a special education cooperative located in a northern Chicago, Ill., suburb. For two years, she worked there with special-needs children.

One student that touched her heart in particular was a little girl named Rhiana, who was diagnosed with selective mutism and only spoke at her home. That was until she met Jeannie. “Each day when I heard Rhiana call, ‘Hey Miss Jeannie!’, my spirits were lifted and I was motivated to do whatever I could to help her and all of my students to improve their communications skills,” Jeannie wrote in her application letter.

Having just received her Master’s Degree in July, Jeannie now has aspirations to get a Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology. “Earning a Ph.D. will afford me the opportunity to further develop my skills in the diagnosis and treatment of communication disorders and to share that knowledge with others through teaching,” she wrote in her application letter.

As an undergraduate at Saint Mary’s, Jeannie volunteered at an assisted living community and played on conference champion tennis teams in 2001-2002, including an appearance at the 2002 NCAA Tournament.