Joy Kwok
Bachelor of Arts (Linguistics)
“There is a misconception that people who study linguistics are 'walking dictionaries' or that they speak a lot of languages. But linguistics is more about understanding how language is acquired, how it is structured, and how it influences our everyday interactions.
“While I was studying, I had discussions with my lecturers about career options. I did a lot of research about the role of a speech therapist and the more I learnt, the more interested I became. I felt that my linguistics background would be a big asset for me in this next area of study.”
Joy is currently working as a student support services officer for the Department of Education in Victoria, Australia.
“My role involves providing speech therapy assessments and intervention to students with a wide range of communication difficulties. I enjoy working collaboratively with students, their teachers, parents and other health professionals to best support the students' development.”
During her time at Otago, Joy enjoyed a year in a residential college and also took up opportunities to volunteer in the local community.
“I made the move to Otago because I wanted to gain more than just a tertiary education. I wanted a change in environment so I could learn to be more independent, meet new people and fully embrace student life.”