Photo by Steve Thackston
Amila Shake has always been an impassioned advocate for those who struggle to speak for themselves.
She grew up hearing stories of her father’s childhood in Ethiopia, where he had developed a significant, lifelong speech impediment following an injury. In his native country, communication disorders weren’t — and still aren’t — treated. What’s more, they’re considered a form of disobedience.
Shake knew college was the first step on the road to running her own speech rehabilitation center. There was just one problem: Georgia Gwinnett College, where she began her studies in fall 2015, didn’t offer a speech communication program.
She learned from her brother that a program existed at Georgia State and transferred in the spring of her sophomore year.
When she graduates and applies to graduate school, Shake will take with her what she’s learned in her classes and her four internships.
After her time at Georgia State, her passion for speech pathology has only deepened. She’s still determined to open her own clinic, where her first patient will be her father.
“There’s nothing that brings me more joy than giving back to the community — especially in places where the roles and services of a speech pathologist aren’t well known,” she said.
