College of Science and Health > Academics > Speech Language Pathology > Student Resources > DePaul BSSDI Student Organization

Bilingual SLP Students for Diversity & Inclusion (BSSDI)

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BSSDI

Mission:  

This organization seeks to facilitate bilingual speech language pathology student involvement, engagement, and leadership development in order to advance the awareness, sensitivity, and competence of bilingual issues in the field of speech language pathology.  Additionally, it is the mission of this organization to promote initiatives pertaining to bilingual speech language pathology students through a social and professional platform whereby students can interact and collaborate.  

Purpose: 

The purpose of the BSSDI organization is to aid and guide the bilingual speech language pathology students at DePaul University by providing support to:

  1. Enable a mentoring network of bilingual speech language pathology students 
  2. Encourage professional interest among college and university students in the study of bilingual communication sciences and disorders. 
  3. Provide continuity to the dissemination of professional information of bilingual speech language pathology issues and trends. 
  4. Support the individual and collective interests of its members 
  5. Provide leadership development opportunities and a vehicle for student representation in matters of professional concern (e.g., advocacy) 
  6. Increase the number of bilingual speech language pathology students 
  7. Provide a community for all its members 

Meet the NEWLY Appointed 2024-2025 Leadership Team 

Melissa Hernandez, President, Cohort 3 

Melissa

Carla Hernandez, Secretary, Cohort 3 

Carla

Marcela Garcia, Treasurer, Cohort 3 

Marcela
Tamia Manning, Social Media Coordinator, Cohort 3 

Tamia

Ariana Delgado, Event Coordinator, Cohort 3 ​

Ariana
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Meet the 2022-2023 Inaugural Leadership Team 

Raquel Sanchez, President, Cohort 2 

Karen Dorantes, Treasurer, Cohort 2 

Maria Villalobos, Secretary, Cohort 2 

​Elia Olivares, PhD, CCC-SLP, Founding Faculty Advisor  

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Elia Olivares, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, received her Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago and her Master of Science and Bachelor of Science degrees at Illinois State University.  She has worked as a bilingual Speech and Language Pathologist in Illinois, primarily serving culturally and linguistically diverse children in early childhood, urban and suburban school districts, university settings, and private practice, as seen in her faculty biography page.​


​​BSSDI Membership Information 

The BSSDI student organization accepts new members throughout the year.  Join us through our student organization, DeHub Page. 

If you would like more information, please contact Dr. Elia Olivares. 

Follow Us 

Be sure to follow us on social media to see all of our past and current events and activities!


Instagram: @BSSDI_SLP
#bilingualslp