Meet Our Majors COVID-19 Edition: Sarah Naumovitz

Sarah Naumovitz graduated in the fall of 2019 and is preparing to go to Indiana University to further her degree in audiology. She tells of how her plans changed while at Calvin and how her passion for audiology grew and is continuing to grow, as well of the amazing professors and programs that have led her to where she is standing today.

What you would be doing under normal circumstances, and how that has changed.

I graduated from Calvin University in December of 2019! Before the stay-at-home order I was working at Calvin in the housing department and had another part-time job at Biggby Coffee. Since the changes, I have been home with my family and spend my ample free time going for hikes, baking bread (aren’t we all haha), watching new movies, staying in touch with friends, and trying to figure out plans for graduate school.

What people and experiences at Calvin prepared you for a career in audiology, especially to apply it during this unprecedented time of pandemic?

 I am extremely grateful for the professors in the SPAUD department who have provided me with a great education, research opportunities, and mentoring for my future career. Because of them and their connections with audiologists in the Grand Rapids area, I was able to shadow multiple professionals in different settings which really helped solidify my desire to pursue audiology. Since I was not able to visit all of the grad schools that I planned to during the pandemic, I am also grateful to Calvin professors for providing me with advice and encouragement about how to make a decision given the circumstances.

Why did you choose to major in audiology? How has that played out during this pandemic?

For me, I originally planned on becoming an SLP and audiology wasn’t something that I knew a lot about. But when I took Dr. Kreisman’s audiology course, it immediately interested me and I could see myself doing the work for the rest of my life. I think the part of audiology that interested me the most is the fact that it feels like detective work—you meet with a client and gather bits and pieces about their life, administer various audiological tests, and form a conclusion about what is going on and the best way to help them. I also think that it is extremely gratifying and helpful work since you really get to make a difference in the client’s daily life.

What’s one thing you would want to tell someone starting their journey toward becoming an audiologist… feel free to apply it to the current pandemic situation.

I would tell them that it is definitely a career that you have to be willing to invest in (both in time and money) since most graduate programs are 4 years long. I would also say that if you are interested in the field to start shadowing as soon as you can! Being able to see what the day-to-day aspects of the job are will really help with your decision. Shadowing in the current circumstances would be challenging, but even speaking on the phone with an audiologist can be helpful in seeing their perspective. Overall, there are so many options in the field that you can pursue and it is also growing as the aging population increases, so odds are that you will be able to find a job and a niche that interests you!

How did Calvin prepare you to meet the various challenges that have come up during this pandemic?

Calvin, and my college experience in general, has prepared me to meet the various challenges that have come up in this pandemic by teaching me how important a sense of friendship and community is in life. One of the main things that has helped me feel a sense of normalcy is putting aside time to talk to friends and talk to them about what is going on in their lives. I think that Calvin has also taught me that there is always something to learn from every situation—I think that I am learning a lot about myself and also some new skills with all of this free time.

How has your faith grown during this time?

I think that this time has tested my faith and also helped strengthen it through learning how to be more content in times of uncertainty. I definitely have my days where I am angry at the current circumstances and wish that I knew what the future would bring, but then I try to remember Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:34. All we can do is lean on God and try to make the most of each day because ‘tomorrow will worry about itself.’

Describe Calvin in three phrases.

Intentional community, faith-focused academics, & a great place to try new things and grow as an individual.