Empowerment through communication

The knowledge Morgan Stahlheber, M.S. '20, gained from her time in La Salle University's graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program allowed her to confidently pursue her dream, supporting children and families in schools and her own private practice.

While she described the coursework as rigorous, the hard work she put in in the classroom and clinic paid off, and Stahlheber was ready to start her career with confidence she didn't know that she would have gotten from another institution.

When Morgan Stahlheber, M.S. '20, was in the ninth grade, she watched The King's Speech with her parents. The movie, which follows King George VI of England and his work with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in the lead up to delivering an important speech, was life changing for Stahlheber.

"As soon as the movie ended, I looked at my parents and said, 'that's what I'm going to be when I grow up,'" Stahlheber said. "They immediately supported my interest and connected me with speech-language pathologists through friends. Once I learned more about the profession, I never looked back."

From then on, Stahlheber was all in on pursuing her dream, she said. One of the things she needed for it was a master's degree, which is one of the requirements to become a practicing SLP. After earning her undergraduate degree at another institution, she started looking for a place to achieve that next qualification.

La Salle University and its graduate Speech-Language Pathology Program stood out.

"La Salle's top ranked professors, location, reputation, and clinical externship opportunities were unlike those of any other university," she said. "Those factors ultimately drew me to La Salle."

Although she enjoyed everything about her experience at 20^th and Olney, orientation remains a particularly special memory for Stahlheber.

"It felt surreal to realize that a dream I had been working toward for eight years was finally becoming a reality," she said. "In that moment, I knew I was on the path to becoming a speech-language pathologist and that my life was about to change forever."

While studying, Stahlheber's instincts about the faculty and externship opportunities at La Salle were proved right.

The support and relationships she was able to build with her professors were one of the highlights.

"They challenged me to reach levels I didn't know I was capable of achieving, always leading from a place of encouragement," she said.

She also credits the unique nature of La Salle's program, which has students simultaneously attending classes and completing clinical externships.

"It was invaluable to spend the day at an externship, then attend class in the evening, discuss real-life cases with professors and classmates and then return the next day with new knowledge and confidence to better serve clients," Stahlheber said.

While she described the coursework as rigorous, the hard work she put in in the classroom and clinic paid off, and Stahlheber was ready to start her career with confidence she didn't know that she would have gotten from another institution.

"I graduated feeling extremely prepared for the workforce," she said. "It became apparent when interacting with colleagues from other universities that La Salle had equipped me exceptionally well for the transition from academia to professional practice."

She was hired to work at Calvert County Public Schools in Maryland in December 2020, before she completed her final semester at school. From there, she moved to the Dallas area, where she currently lives with her husband and their golden retriever, where she has worked continuously with students in local school districts. She also owns and operates her own private practice, Golden Speech and Language Therapy, PLLC, which she started in 2024.

While Stahlheber is passionate about her work in public schools and considers it a privilege to support students and their families, she also recognized a need for a service that took that support beyond school and into the day-to-day, she said.

"I wanted to provide neurodiversity-affirming speech-language therapy services in natural settings for children, teens, and young adults to empower them to become active members of their communities while fostering independence and self-advocacy," she said. "That vision became Golden Speech and Language Therapy, PLLC."

Stahlheber has carried the same confidence that she graduated with to all the stages of her career, and she credits the education she received as an Explorer as the reason why.

"I have never doubted my knowledge, skills, or abilities because of how the La Salle graduate program prepared me," she said.

No matter the setting she's working with clients in, though, Stahlheber's favorite thing about her job remains the same: empowering children, teenagers, and young adults through communication.

"Having the privilege to listen, share in their joys, and help people communication their thoughts, feelings, and dreams is a blessing beyond anything I could have imagined for myself," she said.

-Naomi Thomas