CHHS Student Spotlight Q + A: Isabella Guzman
Throughout the 2026-2027 academic year, the College of Health and Human Services (CHHS) will spotlight students to highlight the diverse academic paths and profile student motivations and interests. Through this series, CHHS aims to showcase the passion and dedication that inspire students to improve the health and well-being of individuals and communities. The college’s next spotlight series is on Isabella Guzman, a member of the Class of 2026.
What is your hometown?
Glendale, AZ.
What are you studying?
Communication Sciences and Disorders major, Spanish minor.
Why did you choose your major/program?
I originally planned to major in linguistics because I’ve always been fascinated by language, particularly syntactic structure and English and Spanish grammar. However, I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to work directly with and support people. I spoke with the speech-language pathologist at my high school, who recommended Communication Sciences and Disorders at NAU because it combines my love of linguistics with my passion for providing direct services. Since then, I’ve fallen in love with CSD and the NAU program, and I’m so grateful that I found a field that brings together so many of my interests!
What do you hope to do with your degree after graduation?
After graduation, I plan to move back to the Phoenix area and work as a speech-language pathology assistant during the gap semester before graduate school. I then plan to earn my master’s degree in clinical speech-language pathology and pursue a career as a bilingual SLP.
What is one goal you hope to accomplish before you graduate (academic, personal, or professional)?
Before graduation, one of my biggest goals is to continue improving my Spanish. I grew up with bilingual parents and extended family, but I didn’t grow up speaking Spanish myself. Through my Spanish minor, clubs, and different communities, I’ve been working to strengthen my language skills and become more confident communicating in Spanish. I aspire to be an SLP who serves multilingual and multicultural communities, and I believe being able to communicate with clients and families in their preferred language is an important part of providing culturally responsive care.