WMU Chapter of National Student Speech Language Hearing Association awarded honors

Congratulations to the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology’s chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, which was awarded Chapter Honors at the Silver Level from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in recognition of work in philanthropy, community service, career awareness, advocacy and networking. This is a first for Western Michigan University’s chapter and well-deserved for a very busy 2013-14 with the guidance of 2013 Registered Student Organization Advisor of the Year Cary Cekola.

Among their many activities, they volunteered at a local senior living community, informed middle school students about the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology at an MLK STEMulating careers event, and partnered with Psi Iota Xi in blind rehabilitation bingo celebrations and an Honor Flight reception for World War II veterans. In addition, the group held several fund raisers. Among them was Scoops for Smiles through which students and faculty helped a young boy from the island nation of St. Lucia receive cleft lip and cleft alveolar surgery. A year-end banquet and silent auction they sponsored for the department brought in significant funds.

All of this activity did not go unnoticed. The Silver Level Chapter Honors will be presented at the NSSLHA Honors Ceremony at the Annual Convention of the association in November 2014.

Psi Iota Xi-NSSLHA mixer participants; Front Row left to right: Macey Nacarato, Anna Larner, Laura Chianakas, Louella Bradley, Barb Turcott, Sandy Thompson; Second Row: Kaye Robison, Kathy Johnson, Ann Tyler; Back Row: Hanna Lasky, Joe Kilpatrick, Laura Rusk Jerks, Ashlyn Cox