Region 6
Regional Councilor and Council Vice-President Chelsea Franzluebbers
Contact Chelsea at NSSLHA.Region6@gmail.com.
Major: Speech-language pathology
Estimated Date of graduation: May 2014
University: University of Kansas
Area of professional interest: Child language
Connect with other students in Region 6: Region 6 Facebook page
I joined NSSLHA because: NSSLHA represents a very strong and determined group of men and women. Based on the mission statement, this group advocates for a cause in which I am very passionate: helping individuals with speech and hearing deficits. The national association is important because it connects students across the nation who are all dedicated to one common cause. I am involved in my local NSSLHA chapter and have seen what one University can do when students work together. I wanted to expand my involvement in the association by taking action on emerging issues related to the professional field that I am entering. NSSLHA keeps me updated with the latest information from the national level and provides opportunities to network with other young speech-language pathologists and audiologists.
I applied for a position on the NSSLHA Executive Council because: I believe that NSSLHA is a valuable organization for its members. It guides students and helps keep them involved. I applied for this position because I am a proud NSSLHA member and chapter president, and I would like to get involved in higher levels of leadership. I have seen the differences the Nebraska Student Speech-Language Hearing Association has made at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, and I hope to bring that experience with me to the Executive Council. I am a very organized and committed individual. I feel I would be fit to offer my opinions and leadership qualities as a part of a team on this council. I have gained many great insights in the field of speech-language pathology by working under Dr. Tiffany Hogan at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as an undergraduate research assistant. This position has fostered more curiosity in the areas of research and exploring all the possibilities this career path has to offer. My experiences with my local chapter of NSSLHA and work in a research facility have sparked my interest to continue my involvement in this field and branch out as an individual as an aspiring speech-language pathologist. I would be honored to be a part of the Executive Council to continue to grow and offer my leadership and collaboration skills.
During my two-year term on the council I will be successful if: I feel I would be successful during my two-year term if I increased the awareness of the mission and benefits of the national NSSHLA to all of the chapter presidents in my region. I would like to meet as many chapter presidents as possible and inform them of the many opportunities available through NSSLHA. I could then promote them to spread this information to their respective chapters; which will hopefully help them to increase their organization's membership and raise awareness about the field of speech-language pathology and audiology as a whole at their college/university. By being an enthusiastic and organized member of the Executive Council, I will spread my knowledge, ideas, and excitement to the chapters within my region. I will keep them educated and aware of the information I gain from fellow council members and mentors. It is important to me to be united as a region. I would be successful if I brought new ideas to the Executive Council while also building/maintaining a united region.
My vision for my region is: I think service and volunteer work are very important for individuals in our field. There are so many ways to reach out to those with special needs. I have been privileged to able to volunteer at the Step Up for Down Syndrome Walk sponsored by the Down Syndrome Association for Families of Nebraska the past two years. I also had the opportunity to aid at the Sertoma Club of Nebraska's annual Halloween party for children who have cochlear implants. Experiences such as these have helped me realize how important and valuable service is in our communities. I loved being able to reach out to others and see the impact that I was making by seeing the smiles on the children's faces. I would like to extend this principle strongly to other chapters in my region. Knowing the PhD shortage that is currently facing our field, I would like to raise the awareness of research opportunities for undergraduates. I have gained so much experience and knowledge from working in the Link-N-Literacy Lab under Dr. Tiffany Hogan along with receiving an Undergraduate Creative Activities and Research Experiences (UCARE) grant. The UCARE grant will create an opportunity for me to find an area of interest that I would like to research. With the help of Dr. Hogan, I have chosen to collect, score, and process data in the area of reading comprehension in school-aged students. These two opportunities have helped me to continue questioning and exploring the field of speech-language pathology. I would be successful on the council if I could raise awareness and enthusiasm for undergraduate and master's students about research opportunities and the possibilities of being able to conduct their own research projects in the future with a PhD. I also would like to represent my region well and keep up with the activities and descriptions my position would hold. I would be successful if I was readily available for the members of my region to contact me with their questions or concerns. I would like to unite the chapters within my region so that they can expand their fundraising attempts across their state or multiple states. Additionally, by building this network of chapters within my region, I think chapter members and officers would benefit from brainstorming sessions to see what has been successful within various chapters. By upholding my duties, offering my ideas, and facilitating new relationships, I feel I would be successful as a NSSLHA Regional Councilor.
Regional Delegate Stephanie Davidson
Contact Stephanie Davidson at sldavidson9@gmail.com.