2007
Awarded $4,000
Raul Francisco Prezas
PhD candidate
Wichita State University
2006
Awarded $4,000
Derek E. Daniels
PhD candidate
Bowling Green State University
2005
Awarded $4,000
Michelle S. Troche
MA candidate
University of Florida
2004
Awarded $4,000
Amy D. Rodriguez
PhD candidate
University of Florida
2003
Awarded $4,000
April Gibbs
MS candidate
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
(Spahr Scholar)
April Gibbs is in her second year in the master’s program in speech-language pathology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She has the distinction of being named the Foundation ’s very first Spahr Scholar, in honor of ASHA’s long-time executive director, Dr. Fred Spahr.
In addition to the academic and clinical work that earned her three highly competitive scholastic awards, she serves as the president of the graduate chapter of the National Student Speech-Language Hearing Association.
After finishing her clinical fellowship and obtaining the Certificate of Clinical Competence, April hopes to complete her doctorate and move into an academic research career. She also anticipates mentoring students, especially those from minorities.
2002
Awarded $4,000
Bernard Rousseau
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Bernard Rousseau is pursuing a doctoral degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where his interests lie in voice research.
He currently serves as the Vocal Function Lab Manager at his university, a position that is usually held by a postdoctoral student. Bernard was selected for a travel award to attend the most recent Nijmegen Conference on Speech Motor Control. He has also pursued a minor in pharmacy in order to meet his goal of studying alternative treatments for correction of vocal fold scarring.
Bernard’s ultimate goal is a career in research devoted to understanding the complexities of the human voice. He would also like to work as a university faculty member, providing instruction and mentoring doctoral students, junior faculty, and underrepresented minorities in communication sciences and disorders.
2001
Awarded $4,000
Veronica M. Pimentel
Purdue University
Veronica M. Pimentel is pursuing her master’s degree in audiology from Purdue University. After participating in ASHA’s Minority Students Leadership Program in Washington, D.C., she was inspired to hone her cultural competency, and she is currently endeavoring to create a multicultural library for students and faculty at Purdue. She has also proposed to the Audiology and Speech Sciences Department the integration of a multicultural class into the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Curriculum. She hopes to be able to take this class before she graduates. It is her professional ambition to provide audiologic treatment and counseling to patients of diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. To accomplish this, she will be able to draw on her fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, English and her native language “Crioulo.” This summer she will be offering therapy in Spanish to a child of Mexican descent. She believes that only through an intimate understanding of her patients’ culture, language and customs, will she be able to successfully provide counseling and treatment.
2000
Awarded $4,000
Rosalyn R. Roberts
University of Florida
Rosalyn Roberts is enrolled in the University of Florida’s master’s program in speech-language pathology. Her undergraduate research efforts focused on the effects of speech rate modification strategies upon the speech behavior in adults. She plans to continue this research through graduate school and hopes to focus on its effect on child language as well. Upon completing the master’s program, her goal is to pursue a doctoral degree with future hopes of becoming an educator at the post-secondary level.
1999
Awarded $2,000
Alice D. Shi
University of Colorado, Boulder
Alice D. Shi is in her second year at the University of Colorado at Boulder's master's program in speech-language pathology. Ms. Shi's academic and research experiences as a pre-medical and psychology major, as well as her endeavors as a youth worker with high school students, have influenced her career choice. Among her professional interests is a focus on stuttering disorders. Ms. Shi has been working as a student clinician in the Successful Stuttering Management Program at the university. Upon completion of her master's degree, she aspires to work in a children's hospital, elementary school, or private clinic.
1998
Awarded $2,000
Karlene M. Helm
University of Kentucky
Karlene Helm is pursuing her master's degree in communication disorders at the University of Kentucky. She not only envisions working with young children, but also looks forward to working with senior citizens who are trying to recover their full language capacity after complications resulting from stroke. In addition to serving and supporting those requiring speech-language assistance, she hopes to participate in meaningful research projects.