A Program of the 
Savannah Everett is a Speech Pathology major at St John's University in Queens. Savannah participated in the 2024 CLS Swahili Program hosted by MSTCDC in Arusha, Tanzania and is a 2024 CLS Digital Ambassador.
During my time in Arusha, Tanzania, I had the invaluable opportunity to visit Patandi Teacher’s College, an institution dedicated to training future teachers and educating individuals with disabilities. Early in my stay, I expressed my desire to visit a school for the Deaf due to my knowledge of Sign Language and my future goal of working with Deaf individuals. This visit was made possible through the CLS Program, which has played a crucial role in facilitating such an enriching experience. Before participating in CLS, I was passionate about integrating Swahili and Sign Language into my future career but was still determining how to achieve this as a Speech Language Pathology major. The CLS Program not only provided me with immersive language learning but enabled me to engage directly with the communities I aspire to serve.
I was able to speak directly with the principal of Patandi Teacher’s College and interview current teachers of the Deaf for my research paper focusing on Deaf education in Tanzania. I plan to return to the U.S. and highlight the unique teaching methodologies and cultural perspectives I encountered while staying in touch with the connections I have created through the Patandi Teacher’s College. I hope to incorporate these insights into my future work to enrich educational practices in the United States, and to return to Tanzania to serve the community further. The CLS Program’s emphasis on cultural and linguistic immersion has been instrumental in shaping my career path. It enhanced my language proficiency and provided me with practical experiences that deepened my understanding and commitment to my chosen field.
This opportunity pushed me to use my acquired language skills and diplomatic knowledge to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world application, reaffirming my dedication to pursuing a career that combines my passions for Swahili, Sign Language, and Speech Language Pathology. The amount of personal growth I have experienced in Tanzania has been profound, solidifying my commitment to making a meaningful impact in education and speech services for the Deaf population.