2009 Class of the Minority Student Leadership Program

Thirty Outstanding Students Chosen To Participate

The MSLP Celebrates 10 Years at the ASHA Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, November 19–21

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP), which was established in 1999 to serve as a leadership development tool for racial/ethnic minority students enrolled in communication sciences and disorders. The MSLP is the legacy of 40 years of multicultural infusion which aims to retain minority CSD professionals. ASHA established the MSLP to prepare minority students for leadership roles in the professions and the association, to recruit and retain racial/ethnic minority members, and to develop culturally competent clinicians. Each year 30–40 students are chosen to participate in MSLP, a five-day program of empowerment, leadership development, and networking activities at the annual ASHA Convention.

This year's program will take place November 19–21 in New Orleans, Louisiana and offers participants the opportunity to gain insight into their own leadership skills and provides a better understanding of how leaders effect change in their professional association. In addition, participants will become empowered to take risks and to meet their own challenges. This program offers many opportunities to explore ASHA and the professions. The students will participate in activities to increase their awareness of the association, including observing committees and boards. The students will also have direct access to association leaders through networking at the MSLP Leadership Simulation, the Multicultural Concerns Collective (MC2) meeting, and other convention events. In addition, we will celebrate 10 years of leadership and diversity, and honor the more than 325 minority undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students that have participated in the MSLP since its inception in 1999.