Communication Sciences & Disorders

🧭 Compass Roadmap

Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders
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Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders

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Compass Roadmap | Communication Sciences & Disorders


Begin Your Journey		First Year
Pursue Community		Second Year
Pursue Hospitality		Third Year
Pursue Calling		Fourth Year
Pursue Wisdom
Grow Intellectually
  • Meet the faculty during Wildcat Week
  • Develop research skills in Cornerstone
  • Explore the life of Jesus and the New Testament church in BIBL 101 and 102
  • Take CSD 235: Introduction to CSD


  • Support your peers by attending ACU's URCI Festival
  • Explore the message of the Old Testament in BIBL 211
  • Take interprofessional education (IPE) classes

  • Engage in a faculty-mentored research or creative project
  • Participate in an information literacy workshop
  • Participate in IPE activities
  • Volunteer with King David’s Kids (KDK)

  • Present at URCI Festival or other conference
  • Complete your Capstone course
  • Complete Capstone research paper with a CSD focus
Grow Spiritually
  • Experience Candlelight Devo during Wildcat Week
  • Participate in Chapel, including department chapel
  • Participate in the life of a local church
  • Engage in practices of meal fellowship, testimony and breath prayer

  • Participate in Chapel, including department chapel
  • Participate in the life of a local church
  • Learn about service opportunities at the Local Missions Fair
  • Volunteer in the Abilene community
  • Engage in practices of intercessory prayer, pilgrimage and journaling
  • Participate in Chapel, including department chapel
  • Participate in the life of a local church
  • Gain hands-on ministry experience on a Global Service Trip
  • Engage in practices of silence, spiritual listening and examen
  • Participate in Chapel, including department chapel
  • Participate in the life of a local church
  • Receive and extend blessings to others at Senior Blessing
  • Experience Candlelight Sendoff
  • Engage in practices of friendship, relinquishment and developing a rule of life
Grow Personally
  • Take StrengthsFinder and reflect on your results
  • Become involved in the ACU community by joining a student organization
  • Make contact with your assigned CSD mentor
  • Care for your whole person by developing a Personal Exercise Prescription
  • Grow as a leader through ACU LEADS: Emerging Leaders

  • Take advantage of recreation opportunities on campus (Rec Center, intramurals, etc)
  • Actively engage in a student organization

  • Develop your leadership skills while serving in a leadership role on campus
  • Lead in a church ministry or local service organization

  • Serve in a leadership role and mentor future student leaders
  • Lead a student club or organization
    Identify a minister outside of ACU who might serve as a professional mentor
Grow Culturally
  • Attend events hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA)
  • Explore opportunities at a Study Abroad interest meeting
  • Attend events hosted by the International Students Association (ISA)
  • Study Abroad in Oxford, Leipzig or Montevideo
  • Explore opportunities with Hope Speaks (Uganda)
  • Attend events hosted by the Carl Spain Center on Race Studies and Spiritual Action
  • Participate in a World Wide Witness summer internship
    Apply to participate in Hope Speaks (Uganda)
  • Apply to Fulbright, AmeriCorps, PeaceCorps or International Service Opportunity
  • Lead an OMA, ISA or Carl Spain Center event
Grow Professionally
  • Activate your Handshake profile and take the Career Explorer Inventory through ACU’s Career Services
  • Learn new creative possibilities through Create U
  • Join ACU National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA)
  • Develop a resume and participate in a mock interview with Career Services
  • Apply to the CSD major
  • Get a CSD-related summer job or internship
  • Join ACU National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and the Texas Speech Language Hearing Association (TSHA)
  • Consider attending TSHA convention

  • Research graduate schools that interest you
  • Identify faculty members who could write recommendations
  • Create a LinkedIn profile
  • Continue with NSSLHA and TSHA
    Attend TSHA convention and visit graduate schools
  • Finalize a resume
  • Secure letters of recommendation
  • Apply for jobs and/or graduate school
  • Continue with NSSLHA and TSHA
  • Attend TSHA convention

Exploring Areas of Growth

Five Areas of Growth

  • Grow Intellectually – Sharpen your mind through critical thinking, problem solving and engaging in original research or creative projects. Build knowledge in your field and develop relevant skills through innovative and experiential assignments and activities.
  • Grow Spiritually – Grow in likeness of Christ, as the Spirit leads both individuals and communities into deeper love of God and others. Cultivate Christian community, hospitality, vocation and wisdom through reflective participation in community practices such as worship, study and service. 
  • Grow Personally – Mature as a whole person through mentorship, peer-to-peer relationships and cultivating habits that produce wellness. Discover your strengths, become a productive team member and grow as a leader.
  • Grow Culturally – Deepen intercultural knowledge and the ability to communicate with and relate to people of diverse backgrounds, beliefs and geographic areas. Foster a greater respect and empathy for all peoples through building dynamic and mutually rewarding relationships in local and global contexts. 
  • Grow Professionally – Prepare for a meaningful career by exploring options, participating in career development activities, gaining relevant experiences and making purposeful connections that launch your professional life.

Integrated Spiritual Formation Themes

 

NOTE: Transfer students and those that surpass traditional semester cadences can progress to the next phase when appropriate for their needs.

Year 1 – Pursue Community

Connecting students to cruciform relationships with peers and adults on campus and in Abilene through compelling opportunities to invest in a variety of Christian organizations, both discovering and experiencing the distinctive nature of Christian community.

Year 2 – Pursue Hospitality

Engaging students in encounters with diverse peoples, ideas, and cultures through both local and global opportunities to extend and receive hospitality and to serve others in Christ’s name.

Year 3 – Pursue Calling

Advancing students’ understanding of vocation in a manner that integrates each student’s particular identity, career goals and vision for life with the broad calling for Christians to participate in the ongoing mission of God revealed in the pattern of Christ’s life and death.

Year 4 – Pursue Wisdom

Launching students into cruciform and purposeful living beyond the university by equipping them with tools for and experiences seeking Christian wisdom as they prepare to transition into a new season of life and career.