Yuvane Arjune, a senior at Florida State University’s (FSU) School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (SCSD), recently contributed to the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Blog. NSSLHA is the only national student organization for pre-professionals studying communication sciences and disorders (CSD) recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). 

Her story, “More Than Paradise: Lessons on Stroke, Recovery, and Speech-Language Pathology in the Caribbean,” discusses her personal experience with stroke recovery and the importance of representation for populations within the Caribbean.  

“Honestly, it is an incredible honor. I never thought that coming from Sint Maarten, a small Caribbean Island, I would have been writing for a national post like NSSLHA,” said Arjune. “It is an incredible opportunity, and it just shows that no matter where you’re from or how small you think your voice is, your experience matters.” 

When Arjune was just 14 years old, she decided that she wanted to be a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), despite everyone around her studying to become accountants or nurses. Although she held onto that dream, she did not begin taking concrete steps toward it until her mother suffered a stroke. 

“My mom had the stroke when I was 18, and at that point I wasn’t applying to schools or doing research on becoming an SLP. Then I realized that I had to put my dream into motion,” said Arjune. “Even though my mom’s stroke was a terrible thing, it was a gateway that led me to realize that this is the work I wanted to do, and I began to put in the work to make that dream a reality.” 

In the summer of 2023, Arjune began her studies at Tallahassee Community College (now Tallahassee State College) with the intent of transferring to FSU once she completed her associate degree. 

“The journey has been quite an uphill battle, because my Island is so small compared to here, so it was a complete 180,” said Arjune. “It was very different, but I have met incredible people, and I have had amazing opportunities presented to me that I don’t think I would have had in Sint Maarten.” 

Her journey goes beyond achieving her professional goals; it was about bridging the gap between representation and necessity in healthcare for patients from regions like the Caribbean. 

“As SLPs, we serve a population of disabled people, whether it’s in communicative disorders, speech impediments, autism, or other areas. The best way to serve them is to make sure their voices are heard by being able to recognize and be familiar with their culture,” said Arjune. “That is how we understand our patient in the best way possible.” 

As a child, watching her mother’s journey taught her the varying effects that stroke can have on a person. 

“Having a stroke is way more than what people see on the outside; there are a lot of mental things going on as well. Someone can easily slip into depression, and it’s something that I witnessed firsthand,” said Arjune. “I just wanted to shine a light on it, because speech pathology tends to focus on the communication side of things, but I think it’s important to also focus on the counseling side of things.” 

Through her personal experiences, education, and advocacy, Arjune hopes to one day become a Speech-Language Pathologist and open her own clinic. Coming from a small island in the Caribbean to a nationally recognized university, Arjune embraces every opportunity to pursue her dreams.