Marie Jette
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
I transferred from McGill to UBC in my second year, initially planning to study French. On a whim, I enrolled in a course at the UBC Department of Linguistics and immediately fell in love with exploring language and communication.
My linguistics and speech sciences cohort was quite small, which meant we took many of the same classes together and built a close-knit community. We spent a lot of time together both inside and outside the classroom, and many of us ultimately went on to become speech-language pathologists.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
Some of my most meaningful experiences at UBC extended beyond the classroom. I loved joining friends for dragon boat races and spending sunny afternoons at Wreck Beach, as well as exploring the Museum of Anthropology, which deepened my appreciation for culture and history.
On campus, I gained invaluable experience working in research labs and had the opportunity to teach English as a second language as a student teacher. These experiences shaped both my academic path and my passion for communication.
What choices did you make at UBC that contributed to your career success / journey?
I was fortunate to take advantage of opportunities to volunteer and work in research labs on campus, including Dr. Bryan Gick’s Speech Science Lab and Dr. Janet Werker’s Developmental Psychology Lab.
These experiences not only solidified my interest in pursuing an academic career, but also sparked my passion for clinical work in speech-language pathology. Just as importantly, they connected me with mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping my professional path.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before your current position?
After completing my undergraduate degree, I extended my student visa for an additional year to work as a research technician in Dr. Janet Werker’s Infant Studies Center. I then pursued graduate training to become a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and worked full-time in clinical practice for three years before returning to complete my doctoral degree.
Today, I continue to practice as an SLP alongside my work in research and teaching.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
Not exactly. As an undergrad at UBC, I knew I wanted to become a professor, but I imagined myself teaching undergraduate and graduate students about communication disorders—not working in a medical school within a surgical department like otolaryngology.
I didn’t face many challenges launching my career, though at the time I wasn’t entirely sure where it would lead. Getting into graduate school for speech-language pathology was certainly competitive, but I felt very well prepared by my Arts education. In fact, some of my UBC coursework allowed me to skip certain prerequisites.
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
One of the things I love most about my job is that I get to use linguistics every day—I still proudly call myself a linguistics nerd.
I draw on phonology and phonetics constantly in my gender-affirming voice work, and I rely on speech sciences when I’m thinking about voice disorders and the many attributes that shape how we use and perceive voice. I also enjoy the balance of clinical practice, research, and teaching, which keeps my work dynamic and deeply meaningful.
The biggest challenge is navigating the complexity of voice and upper airway disorders, which often don’t have straightforward solutions. But my training in linguistics and speech sciences at UBC gave me the foundation to think critically and creatively about these challenges. That background continues to shape the way I approach my work today.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
For me, my Arts degree opened the door to thinking about language, speech, and communication in a really broad way.
My studies in linguistics and speech sciences showed me that what starts as an Arts degree is also very much the science of how humans produce, perceive, and use language. That foundation became the bridge to my later graduate work in speech-language pathology and eventually to my research career.
In many ways, my Arts degree gave me both the flexibility to explore big ideas and the scientific grounding to turn those ideas into a career.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
My biggest piece of advice is to seek out mentors early and often.
Some of the most meaningful turning points in my career came from professors and supervisors who not only gave me opportunities in research and clinical work, but also helped me see possibilities I wouldn’t have recognized on my own.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, volunteer in labs, or shadow clinicians. These experiences help you figure out what excites you and connect you with people who can guide you along the way.
The field of speech-language pathology and voice science is competitive, but having mentors to support and challenge you can make all the difference.
What advice would you give your graduating self?
I would tell my graduating self to take time and really observe everything. Not everything you learn will seem to fit into a bigger picture right away, but over time the early lessons and experiences start to connect in surprising ways.
I’ve often found myself drawing on things I learned years earlier—sometimes in classes I didn’t think would be especially relevant at the time.
Trust that the knowledge and skills you’re building will come back around and serve you in ways you can’t always predict.
Marie Jette
Why did you choose your program at UBC and what did you enjoy most about it?
I transferred from McGill to UBC in my second year, initially planning to study French. On a whim, I enrolled in a course at the UBC Department of Linguistics and immediately fell in love with exploring language and communication.
My linguistics and speech sciences cohort was quite small, which meant we took many of the same classes together and built a close-knit community. We spent a lot of time together both inside and outside the classroom, and many of us ultimately went on to become speech-language pathologists.
What were some of your most meaningful experiences at UBC?
Some of my most meaningful experiences at UBC extended beyond the classroom. I loved joining friends for dragon boat races and spending sunny afternoons at Wreck Beach, as well as exploring the Museum of Anthropology, which deepened my appreciation for culture and history.
On campus, I gained invaluable experience working in research labs and had the opportunity to teach English as a second language as a student teacher. These experiences shaped both my academic path and my passion for communication.
What choices did you make at UBC that contributed to your career success / journey?
I was fortunate to take advantage of opportunities to volunteer and work in research labs on campus, including Dr. Bryan Gick’s Speech Science Lab and Dr. Janet Werker’s Developmental Psychology Lab.
These experiences not only solidified my interest in pursuing an academic career, but also sparked my passion for clinical work in speech-language pathology. Just as importantly, they connected me with mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping my professional path.
What was your first job after graduation and what other jobs did you have before your current position?
After completing my undergraduate degree, I extended my student visa for an additional year to work as a research technician in Dr. Janet Werker’s Infant Studies Center. I then pursued graduate training to become a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and worked full-time in clinical practice for three years before returning to complete my doctoral degree.
Today, I continue to practice as an SLP alongside my work in research and teaching.
Is your current career path as you originally intended? What challenges did you face in launching your career?
Not exactly. As an undergrad at UBC, I knew I wanted to become a professor, but I imagined myself teaching undergraduate and graduate students about communication disorders—not working in a medical school within a surgical department like otolaryngology.
I didn’t face many challenges launching my career, though at the time I wasn’t entirely sure where it would lead. Getting into graduate school for speech-language pathology was certainly competitive, but I felt very well prepared by my Arts education. In fact, some of my UBC coursework allowed me to skip certain prerequisites.
What do you like about your current job and what do you find challenging? How does it relate to your degree?
One of the things I love most about my job is that I get to use linguistics every day—I still proudly call myself a linguistics nerd.
I draw on phonology and phonetics constantly in my gender-affirming voice work, and I rely on speech sciences when I’m thinking about voice disorders and the many attributes that shape how we use and perceive voice. I also enjoy the balance of clinical practice, research, and teaching, which keeps my work dynamic and deeply meaningful.
The biggest challenge is navigating the complexity of voice and upper airway disorders, which often don’t have straightforward solutions. But my training in linguistics and speech sciences at UBC gave me the foundation to think critically and creatively about these challenges. That background continues to shape the way I approach my work today.
From your experience, what has been the value of having an Arts degree?
For me, my Arts degree opened the door to thinking about language, speech, and communication in a really broad way.
My studies in linguistics and speech sciences showed me that what starts as an Arts degree is also very much the science of how humans produce, perceive, and use language. That foundation became the bridge to my later graduate work in speech-language pathology and eventually to my research career.
In many ways, my Arts degree gave me both the flexibility to explore big ideas and the scientific grounding to turn those ideas into a career.
What advice would you give to students and alumni interested in breaking into your industry?
My biggest piece of advice is to seek out mentors early and often.
Some of the most meaningful turning points in my career came from professors and supervisors who not only gave me opportunities in research and clinical work, but also helped me see possibilities I wouldn’t have recognized on my own.
Don’t be afraid to ask questions, volunteer in labs, or shadow clinicians. These experiences help you figure out what excites you and connect you with people who can guide you along the way.
The field of speech-language pathology and voice science is competitive, but having mentors to support and challenge you can make all the difference.
What advice would you give your graduating self?
I would tell my graduating self to take time and really observe everything. Not everything you learn will seem to fit into a bigger picture right away, but over time the early lessons and experiences start to connect in surprising ways.
I’ve often found myself drawing on things I learned years earlier—sometimes in classes I didn’t think would be especially relevant at the time.
Trust that the knowledge and skills you’re building will come back around and serve you in ways you can’t always predict.
