Katie Lorenz
Graduation year: 2018
Majors: Communication sciences and disorders, psychology
Activities: American Student Speech-Language Hearing Association, Psi Chi (psychology), Mortar Board Honor Society, Zeta Phi Kappa sorority, Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership)
Internships: Tobacco Free Columbia-Dane County Coalition internship at Public Health Madison-Dane County in Madison, Wis.; student speech-language pathologist at Augustana Center for Speech, Language, and Hearing
Post-grad plans: Attend University of Wisconsin-Madison in fall 2018 for my master’s in speech-language pathology
Why Augustana?
I was drawn to the student community. I could tell even from my brief interactions with students on Visit Days that Augie had a supportive yet beautifully diverse community where I could really thrive. I also liked the small class sizes, and I loved Augie’s campus!
Are you where you thought you’d be when you first came to campus?
Nope! I have changed career paths a number of times, mainly because I kept taking classes that got me interested in a specific major. I have gone from biology, to public health, to neuroscience and finally to psychology and communication sciences and disorders (CSD). But I’m happy to say that I found an area of study that I am truly passionate about.
Who helped you get to where you are now?
I wouldn’t be where I am today without the guidance and support of Dr. Haskill and Dr. Jakielski. They shaped me into the scholar, researcher, clinician and person I am today by always pushing me to do my best and believing in me. I am also thankful for the constant encouragement from my parents and friends, as well as the faculty and staff in the CSD and psychology departments.
Peak experience?
I had two peak experiences: my speech-language pathology internship and my study abroad experience in Germany. My internship solidified my passion for speech-language pathology and working with children and gave me confidence that I will succeed in graduate school. My study abroad experience sparked my interest in learning about other cultures. I also had the opportunity to present my independent neuroscience research study at Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany, and take classes at Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg.
What surprised you?
I learned that I love learning! My drive to constantly want to know more and ask questions helped me to excel as a student at Augie.
How did you use Augie Choice?
I used my Augie Choice to pay for expenses during my Tobacco Free Columbia-Dane County Coalition internship in the summer between my sophomore and junior year.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss all of the amazing people at Augie. My friends, my professors and the student community have made Augie my home away from home.
Advice for the Class of 2022?
Try something new. Even if you are 100% sure what you want to do with your life (like I thought I did when I was a first-year student), take a step outside your comfort zone! Take an art class even though you’ve never picked up a paintbrush, join a service club because you have always loved helping people or say hi to that person sitting next to you. You never know—you could find a new passion, discover a calling or meet your best friend.
“Katie has excelled in every aspect of her major, including her clinical internship, coursework and service to individuals with communication impairments and their families. Her work on her Senior Inquiry was particularly impressive. For her project, she analyzed grammatical data for more than 100 preschoolers with different subtypes of speech-language impairment. She has submitted a proposal to present her research at the national level. Katie hopes to continue to be active in language research in graduate school, which I have no doubt she will do.”