Student Profile: Rebecca Candido '25

Q: Tell us about yourself.

I am from Taunton, MA, and am a senior on the dual degree track for Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS), and Portuguese. This year I am working on my honors thesis project with Dr. Jill Hoover. It’s a sub-project to a study Dr. Hoover is conducting in her Sounds2Syntax lab. The idea for my thesis came when I was working in Dr. Hoover’s lab as an undergraduate research assistant, I noticed differences in phonological processes that each participant with Down Syndrome (DS) displayed. We will be focusing on speech intelligibility in those with DS to find what processes or a mixture of processes make it more difficult for others to understand them.
 

Q: September is National Deaf Awareness Month, why do you think it’s important to bring awareness to deafness? 

It’s important to bring awareness so more people understand that being d/Deaf does not mean they’re incapable of doing things! Someone can live a long, happy, and fulfilling life despite the fact they don’t interact with the world through aural means.
 

Q: You study American Sign Language (ASL), why is learning ASL important to you?

ASL has always intrigued me, even as a child. I love learning languages because I find it amazing to communicate with others in their own language. Growing up with immigrant parents, I witnessed firsthand the frustrations that arise from miscommunication, especially when the other party makes no effort to understand. Being able to communicate with someone in their native language is a beautiful thing, as some concepts simply cannot be translated. I want to be able to do that with the d/Deaf community as well.

I want to be a speech language pathologist in the future so knowing how to sign will give me another way to support my clients who may not use verbal communication.
 

Q: How can people be an ally to the deaf community?

We can be allies by recognizing that d/Deaf individuals are fully capable of navigating the world just as well as any hearing person, even if their interaction with the world differs from ours. If you encounter a d/Deaf person, try to find ways to communicate without expecting them to lip-read or speak. While some d/Deaf individuals may prefer this, it shouldn’t be the default option. Additionally, try to learn some basic sign language. ASL and other sign languages are just that—languages. While learning a new language is time-consuming, mastering even basic signs can make spaces designed for the hearing world more welcoming and accessible to those outside of it.
 

Q: How has UMass made you feel supported throughout your four years here? 

I was initially nervous about coming to UMass. I wasn’t sure what making friends would be like or how bad my homesickness would get. However, it turned out to be easy to make friends and meet people through clubs and events. The support my friends have given me over the years has had a profound impact. Whether it’s struggling through tough SLHS classes together, helping each other through personal challenges, or celebrating graduations, they’ve supported me in more ways than I can express.

The professors in the SLHS department have also been great. Just this semester alone, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve talked Jill Hoover’s and Gwyneth Rost’s ears off about my post-graduation plans.
 

Q: What is your favorite thing about the SLHS department?

I love that we’re a smaller major—it gave me a real sense of community and made this huge school feel a lot smaller. I came from a big high school, but even that didn’t prepare me for just how massive UMass is. Walking around campus, with thousands of students and staff, felt pretty overwhelming at first, especially with all the excitement and nerves about what was ahead. But thanks to the smaller classes, I was able to connect with my professors easily, which really helped me settle in.