WHEELING, W.Va. — When Mikayla Massa arrived at West Liberty University in 2016, she didn’t know where her career would lead. Three years later, she walked across the stage with a degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology and the confidence to pursue a doctorate that would take her all the way to the Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation’s top hospitals. 

“I had no idea what I wanted to do when I was in high school,” Massa said. “My mom knew someone who was a speech pathologist, and I went to observe her. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a really rewarding profession.’ That’s what led me to start at West Liberty in that program.” 

Massa graduated in 2019 from West Liberty’s Speech Pathology and Audiology program. The program and courses she took helped to provide a solid foundation needed to pursue higher education. Massa credits much of her direction to the mentorship of Dr. Bradley, now Dr. Bradley Philibbaum, who led the department during her time here. 

“Dr. Bradley was amazing. She saw something in me and encouraged me to pursue audiology. She connected me to mentors, wrote my references, and even recommended the graduate program I attended.” 

Bradley’s mentorship led Massa to the Northeast Ohio Audiology Consortium, or NOAC, where she completed her Doctorate of Audiology, and now is an Adjunct Professor there as well. The four-year program included an externship at the Cleveland Clinic, the same site where Bradley had trained years earlier. 

“I sort of followed her path,” Massa said. “She connected me to people in the field and supported me every step of the way.” 

After earning her doctorate, Massa completed a fellowship specializing in vestibular audiology, the study of balance and dizziness disorders. That fellowship led to a full-time position at the Cleveland Clinic, where she now works exclusively with vestibular patients. 

“My day-to-day involves patients who come in reporting dizziness or imbalance,” she said. “We do tests that look at the inner ear balance organs using cameras and goggles that track eye movements. It’s a puzzle… dizziness can be caused by so many things.”

At the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Massa also conducts research. She has two published studies, one of which she is the primary author, and another she co-authored, and is working on a third to be released soon. 

“The two that have been published are focused on physical therapy and vestibular audiology… and focus on what the best route is for a patient,” she said. “The one that will be published soon is on cochlear implants… and how cochlear implantation can impact the vestibular system.” 

Her passion for audiology was affirmed during a mission trip to Haiti with Wheeling’s Christ Community Church. During a one-night stay at an orphanage, she unexpectedly met a group of audiologists who invited her to help with hearing screenings. 

“We were only in Porta Prince for one night. We were only at this orphanage for one night, and we were going to leave the next morning. And that night, a group of audiologists came out of nowhere. It was so random and so clearly a God thing,” Massa said. “That was my confirmation that this is what I’m supposed to do. Every door that opened after that felt like God was showing me the next step.” 

Massa said she chose West Liberty for its affordability, small classes, and friendly campus. “In-state tuition was amazing,” she said. “Some of my friends were going there, and I liked that it was small and easy to get around. I could walk across campus in 15 minutes.” 

Outside of class, she said her time here was some of the best years of her life. “I started a Bible study… played intramural volleyball… I built friendships that I still have today. You don’t realize how special that time is until it’s gone.” 

Her advice for current students is to connect with professors and take advantage of opportunities. “Rely on your professors,” she said. “They’ve chosen to teach… Ask for their advice and build relationships. Those people can become your mentors and eventually your colleagues.” 

Now established at the Cleveland Clinic, Dr. Massa notes how formative and influential her time on the Hilltop was to her life and career. 

“Being in college is such a sweet time, learning who you are, and being on your own for the first time… You will make so many good memories.”