Rosa Perez Vallejos Wins P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship

The Graduate College is pleased to announce that Rosa Perez Vallejos, master’s student in the communication disorders program, has received the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) International Peace Scholarship (IPS). The IPS provides up to $12,500 for women from other countries to study at the graduate level in the United States and Canada. Members of P.E.O. believe that education is fundamental to world peace and understanding.

Rosa, born and raised in Cochabamba, Bolivia, became interested in the study of communication disorders after learning about it from an American missionary. The practice is not wide-spread in Bolivia; in fact, there is no equivalent of “speech language pathologist” in Spanish. The exposure led her to realize that close members of her community, like neighbors and friends, were suffering from challenges caused by loss of hearing, birth defects, post-stroke issues and other disorders.

She decided to pursue the field, earning her undergraduate degree at Harding University. Throughout her studies, she has not only been a stellar student, making the Dean’s list, joining honor societies, and earning scholarships, but she has also been an exemplary member of her community by continually dedicating herself to service. She decided that she wanted to open the first Speech Language Hearing Clinic in Bolivia to provide a much-needed service to her city and country. By working with children and adults who are defined by their limitations, she hopes to empower them by providing them and their families with the therapies and resources they need to live up to their fullest potential and have a brighter life. 

Rosa chose Texas State University to pursue her master’s degree because of its status as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and the opportunities to obtain clinical experience with Hispanic patients in a variety of settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and pediatric clinics. Having heard about the scholarship in a Graduate College Shop Talk, she recommends that all eligible international students apply. She is hopeful that by having the second year of her studies funded by the IPS, she will be able to open her clinic immediately upon returning home to Cochabamba.