More Snapshots from Master's Graduation

As promised, here are the additional graduation pics!

Stage all set for the Master's graduates of Valdosta State University!

Part of the family waiting on the ceremony to begin...

I did it, Mom and Dad!! Your girl got herself a Master's degree!! (P.S. Thanks for ALL the support you've given me to achieve my dream! I love y'all!!!)

My wonderful sister-in-law, Jess...and mother to my adorable nephews! :0)

All the reds in the family! Me, Mimi, my brother James, and my nephew Madison!

Mimi and me! I love my grandma!

My Dad's side of the family came in from Tallahassee, FL!

Mimi, me, cousin Kim, and Aunt Sandra

Yep, it's official! I've got my Master's degree!

My near and dear friend, Mary! A fellow Speech Pathology grad! Not only is she the best study buddy around, but she's also a pretty FANTASTIC best friend as well!

My near and dear friend Allie! Also a fellow Speech Pathology grad! She was my roomie and pretty much helped me keep my sanity during grad school...with her distractions from studying! haha. She knows I love her. ;0) And she's also a pretty FANTASTIC best friend as well!

The WHOLE family at dinner! (Well, minus my 5 year old nephew who was taking the pic! Didn't he do a marvelous job with his photography skills?!)

M.Ed., CF-SLP

That's right people, it's official! I have FINALLY graduated with my Master's degree!!! I am now officially: Megan H., M.Ed., CF-SLP. Need a breakdown on what all that "stuff" means?? Yeah, I thought so. That would be "Master of Education, Clinical Fellow, Speech-Language Pathologist." Why write all that jibber-jabber, Megan, you may ask? Well, because that's what we have to do! All official documents, anything with our signature on it, requires our official title. As a Speech Therapist straight out of grad school, we're required to complete a "Clinical Fellowship (CF)." This means that we're able to be paid as a licensed Speech Therapist, but we're still an "intern" per se. We have to have a supervisor over us, but we work pretty independently. After we complete our required about 9 months, then we're OFFICIALLY official and have earned our "C's" (Certificate of Clinical Competence) and can practice independently on our own. So, 9 months from now, I'll be Megan H., M.Ed., CCC-SLP. I know, it's an eyesore, but I'm PROUD of that long title of mine!! I worked 6 long, HARD years for it! (Not to mention all the years I've been dreaming about it since I was 7 years old!)

So, now all that's left is to pack up my stuff in Macon, clear out my room at home, and move into my new place in Greenville! Which, by the way, moving your life out of your childhood room is NOT fun. It really makes this whole "growing up" thing seem that much more official. As well as trying to clear out nearly 16 years worth of accumulated "stuff"...it's exhausting!! So, I'm spending the next 2 days clearing out my room at home...let's just hope that's enough time!

Megan H., M.Ed., CF-SLP :0)

P.S.: More graduation pics to come later...I'm waiting to round up the "cap and gown" ones from my family members though!