Student Ethics Essay Award Recipients

The Student Ethics Essay Award (SEEA) program is conducted as part of ASHA's efforts to create awareness of the importance of ethical decision making as individuals prepare to start careers in audiology, speech-language pathology, or speech, language, and hearing sciences. Recipients of the SEEA are listed below, and essay titles are available to read for the last three years.

2020 SEEA Recipients 

Topic: Cultural Competence in Service Provision: Ethical Considerations

Consider the cultural background, experiences, and/or possible biases of clinicians and their clients related to cultural and linguistic diversity. In your essay, present a potential ethical challenge or dilemma related to these differing perspectives that may be faced by a clinician when providing services to clients and their families. Then, using ethics resources and the ASHA Code of Ethics (2016), identify one or more Principles and the corresponding Rule(s) that you believe have been violated, and provide a rationale for your choice(s). Finally, discuss what action(s) could have been taken to acknowledge and respond to the challenge or dilemma in order to prevent a violation of the Code of Ethics.

1st Place

Rachel Nelson

California State University, Fullerton
Essay Title: The Power of Communication: Implementing the Skills We Teach

2nd Place

Audrey McMillion

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Essay: The Ethics of Providing Interpretation and Translation Services for IEP Meetings

3rd Place

Sarah Masters

University of Kentucky
Essay: Implicit Bias Affecting Cultural Competence in Service Provisions: Ethical Considerations

2019 SEEA Recipients

Topic: Ethical Use of Social Media

Foundational to professional and ethical conduct is the commitment to hold the welfare of clients paramount. The utilization of social media has become widespread and has changed the way individuals, businesses, and organizations communicate; however, inappropriate use of social media in the professions can lead to ethical violations. Adherence to professional obligations and standards is essential to eliminate the chance of an ethical violation related to misuse of social media and social networking.

In your essay, present an ethical dilemma or challenge that may be faced by a clinician or researcher related to the misuse of social media and its numerous platforms. Then, using ethics resources and the ASHA Code of Ethics (2016), identify one or more Principles and the corresponding Rule(s) that you believe have been violated, and provide a rationale for your choice(s). Finally, discuss what action(s) you would take to resolve this dilemma.

1st Place

Erika Rose Baldwin

University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
Essay Title: The Ethics of Social Media Advocacy

2nd Place

Cameron Coppala

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Essay Title: Social Media: Blending the Professional with the Personal

3rd Place

Nathaniel J. Smith

Truman State University
Essay Title: Be a Friend: Face Up to Ethical Misuse of Social Media

2018 SEEA Recipients

Topic: Disclosure, Misrepresentation, and Conflict of interest

Foundational to professional and ethical conduct is the commitment to be honest, accurate, and complete when providing information to others (e.g., clients, research participants, families, the public, employers, regulating agencies). Many clinical, research, and teaching scenarios can potentially foster a natural tension between professional obligation and personal preference/gain. Misrepresentation by errors of both omission and commission, as well as by conflicts of interest, can create ethical violations. Adherence to professional obligations and standards is essential to eliminate the chance of an ethical violation related to disclosure, misrepresentation, and conflict of interest.

In your essay, present an ethical dilemma or challenge that may be faced by a clinician or researcher related to disclosure, misrepresentation, and/or conflict of interest. Then, using ethics resources and the ASHA Code of Ethics (2016), identify one or more Principles and the corresponding Rule(s) that you believe have been violated, and provide a rationale for your choice(s). Finally, discuss what action(s) you would take to resolve this dilemma.

1st Place

Kaley Ervin

Texas State University
Essay Title: Overstatement of Qualifications: Misrepresentation in Clinical Practice

2nd Place

Cara Richman

Western Kentucky University
Essay Title: On Defrost, Disclosure, and Professional Drive

3rd Place

Rivka Moller

Nova Southeastern University
Essay Title: Sound Advice: Conflict of Interest in Audiological Practice