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Learn more about the Region 5, Regional Councilor, Dan Hudock
Academic status: Doctoral Student
Major: Commuincation Sciences and Disorders
Expected date of graduation: May 2012
University: East Carolina University
Area of professional interest: Stuttering
I joined NSSLHA because: I love our chosen profession and had wanted to gain as much knowledge, and experience about it. Being a stutterer myself I have attended therapy since I was 5 years old. With this I have always seen the benefits that can come from such a caring group of people. This has had a dramatic effect on my life. I wanted to be a story to let people know it is ok to have a problem, and that you can achieve great things with the right support. I have grown in my knowledge of the profession but have learned an untold amount of life lessons about my self and our society. I strive to continue to learn about my self and the profession. Being involved with NSSLHA is a great way to continue my quest for knowledge, and experience.
I applied for a position on the Executive Council because: I have always held leadership roles in all of my organizations, and sports I have ever been involved in. I have held executive board positions in both of the NSSLHA local chapters I have been in, and have found such a great feeling with helping to organize service events, fundraisers, picnics, and just the interactions among the students. I think the ideal's for which NSSLHA stand for are such that we all should hold, and I would like to inspire chapters to have a voice and participate with in their region. I have been fortunate that both of my chapters have great records of participation and service. This really has been an inspiration for me to go on for a regional council position. I have seen the impact that I can make at a local level, by organizing Easter Egg hunts, Holiday parties, Halloween parties, Screening days, and various charities. Then seeing the faces of appreciation makes it so worth while. It is because of this that I am applying for a regional position I would like to share my experiences, and help other student chapters brainstorm upon how to make the same effect and to be able to see those same expressions of thankfulness.
During my two-year term on the council, I will be successful if I accomplish: Bridging the gap between the national and local chapters of NSSLHA, and trying to improve communication from all levels. I believe that most local chapters do not have a good grasp of the national organization, and mainly see the benefits as occasional scholarships, access to on-line journals, and as a resume builder. I would like to send communications out to all of the presidents in my region and keep them informed about the workings of the national office, voting, and procedures that are occurring. In this communiqué I would request for updated events of nationals to be read off and input on profession related issues to be discussed and replied. I believe that this would add to the unity of the organization and allow for the local chapters to have a say on what is happening. If I can just improve the communication between the national and local organizations I would consider it a success.
I would also like to focus on maintaining the high quality of the organization, by participating on board discussions, votes, and procedures. During this I would keep the high moral standards that we have held for so long. I believe that as our organization it is our job to provide help, guidance, and knowledge deliverance about our profession. These I believe are the bases that support and drive us as a profession. With this in mind I would like to continue to hold the profession's and students best intentions foremost during voting.
My vision for my region is: To improve the communication and to provide support to the local chapters. I would like to see our local chapters gain a major voice in decisions that are relevant to our region. With this the main point that I would like to improve is the communication and cohesion of the local and national structures of the organization. I would like to have a short correspondence read at every local chapter meeting telling what the national board is working on and any up coming events that may benefit local chapters. Since we are trained experts on communication we are taught to think of the listener as well as the message. With this I would make a true effort to communicate with all local president's and promote their functions and strengths on a national base. This would allow for other chapters to see what their neighbors are doing and to open opportunities for new idea's of how to help their local communities. I would like to eventually see every chapter putting on at least one event for their clinic, or a group of people per year. I would also eventually like to work with every chapter to start up an event for May is better speech and hearing month. I believe that the base for this is improving communication and allowing the discussion and rewards to be spread around commending chapters on what they have been able to accomplish. I do see region 5 becoming much more cohesive and giving to the community at large over the next 2 years with an open of communication.
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