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In early April, over 80 undergraduate and graduate students from Communications Sciences and Disorders (CSD) programs at Duquesne University, Howard University, James Madison University, and Towson University attended an ASHA-hosted CSD Student Capitol Hill Day in Washington, DC. The CSD students studying both audiology and speech-language pathology attended meetings at the congressional offices from 12 states to discuss issues such as student loan forgiveness, EHDI, therapy caps, and hearing aid tax credits.
The students began their Capitol Hill visits experience with a legislative briefing and interactive role playing workshop before making visits with their federal legislators. ASHA's Student Capitol Hill Day gave the CSD students and their faculty liaisons a unique opportunity to build their advocacy skills by meeting with their legislators, networking with other future professionals, and learning more about ASHA's public policy agenda and the federal legislative process. The event is an expansion of a model used by the students of Duquesne University. For the past five years, Duquesne students have made a trip to Washington, DC to lobby their members of Congress under the direction of Gary Rentschler.
ASHA's Government Relations and Public Policy Board has incorporated the concept of infusing advocacy skills with CSD students into a broader student outreach advocacy initiative that includes this pilot federal CSD Student Hill Day, fostering similar legislative visit programs at the state level involving CSD programs, promoting an online on-demand series of advocacy education modules, and increasing student e-advocacy.
ASHA looks forward to hosting a similar event in 2010, encompassing even more students and CSD programs. For more information, contact Katie Bromley, ASHA's Director of Grassroots and Congressional Advocacy, at kbromley@asha.org or via phone at 800-498-2071, ext. 5612.
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