Faculty Focus: Yvette McCoy Leads Moravian’s Pro Bono Speech Clinic
Assistant professor Yvette McCoy founded a pro bono speech clinic in 2021 to help adults who’ve exhausted insurance coverage while training Moravian SLP students.
A Conversation with Yvette McCoy
Yvette McCoy brings more than three decades of experience in adult neurological rehabilitation to her role as an assistant professor of speech-language pathology and supervisor of Moravian University’s pro bono speech clinic.
In 2021, McCoy founded the clinic primarily to support adults who have exhausted their insurance coverage for speech therapy. Patients are referred by partners such as Lehigh Valley Health Network, St. Luke’s University Health Network, and Good Shepherd Rehabilitation. While the focus is mostly on adults, there are spots for pediatric patients as well.
The clinic not only provides vital services to the community but also serves as a training ground for first- and second-year graduate students in Moravian’s speech-language pathology program. The students gain hands-on experience working with diverse and often underserved populations, including adults with developmental disabilities.
Under McCoy’s guidance, students are making a meaningful difference.
You are also involved with private practice. Why did you decide to go into education?
I went into academia because I have a deep love for teaching and wanted to make a lasting impact by training the next generation of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). I’ve always had a heart for patients, and I wanted to share that passion with students, to help them understand not just the theory of practice, but the meaning and clinical skills required to do the work.
What do you enjoy about teaching the next generation of SLPs?
What I enjoy most is being able to share the passion I have for patient care and the field of speech-language pathology. I want students to see what I see, that this work is about so much more than theory. It’s about connecting with patients, advocating for them, and genuinely changing their lives. If I can help students walk away with that sense of purpose, I feel like I’ve done my job.
What do you enjoy about helping adult patients?
It is incredibly rewarding to work with adult patients. To watch someone who has lost the ability to communicate or swallow regain that function, and to witness their quality of life improve, is something I never take for granted. Knowing that I was part of that journey to recovery is what makes this work so meaningful.
What kind of impact does speech therapy have on these patients’ lives?
The impact is profound, and sometimes even greater than we realize in the moment. When patients tell me that I gave them their lives back, that they were told they would never eat or swallow again and yet here they are, it stops me in my tracks. It reminds me exactly why I do this work. Most patients are affected in ways we may not even fully appreciate, and those moments of gratitude are a powerful reminder of the difference this field makes.
Why did you decide to start Moravian’s speech clinic?
I started the Moravian clinic because I strongly believe that students need to learn in a safe, supportive environment before stepping into the broader clinical world. Sometimes you have to “stay home” before venturing out. I also wanted to give students access to patient populations that are difficult to encounter in typical placements. While students tend to get a lot of pediatric experience, working with adults who have neurogenic communication and swallowing disorders, or those with developmental disabilities, is much harder to come by. Beyond the educational mission, I wanted to provide a much-needed service to the community. So much of our healthcare system is driven by insurance, and that sometimes prevents people from reaching their full potential. Since we opened in 2021, I estimate we’ve helped well over 100 clients.
Why should students study speech-language pathology? Is SLP a growing field?
Speech-language pathology is one of the most rewarding disciplines a student can pursue, because it allows you to work on some of the most fundamental aspects of being human. Think about it: So much of our social life revolves around food and communication. What better way to impact someone’s quality of life than by restoring those two essential functions? And yes, SLP is absolutely a growing field. The demand for skilled clinicians continues to rise, and the opportunity to truly change lives is there every single day.