Brinley was an Intern for the Speech and Language Clinic at BYU during Winter 2025.
Briefly explain what you did and the result of your internship.
I had the opportunity to work with children and adults who struggled with communication. I worked one on one with each client to find functional ways to improve their participation in school, work, and social experiences. Whether suffering from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, newly diagnosed neurological disorder, or a simple pronunciation difficulty, our clinic provided services that allowed them to find their voice.
What did you learn on your internship that you were not expecting to learn?
I learned that I love working with adults! Their optimism and motivation to get through difficult circumstances was inspirational.
How have your future plans changed because of what you learned from your internship experience?
Because of my internship experience, I am now looking into job opportunities in schools, clinics, hospitals, and nursing facilities. I am open to so many populations, because I have learned that I love working with more people than I realized.
Please share how your experience led to personal inspiration or insightful revelation.
The more I work with people, the more I realize that everyone deserves a voice. Although my work in the clinic relies on years of schooling, I have realized that as members of a society, we have opportunities to motivate others to use their voice every day. When you ask sincere questions to a friend or even just look up from your phone when someone speaks to you, you are showing others that their voice matters.
Would you recommend this internship to other students?
I would absolutely recommend this internship. Working with people across a spectrum of ages, backgrounds, and disorders is so enlightening. I had a chance to change lives (if only in a small way) every day.
