Scholar: Heidi Sasaki
Year Awarded: 2019
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About the Scholarship: An instructor at CSUN for over 25 years, Helen Sherman-Wade remains active within the university through activities with the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences, the Language, Speech and Hearing Center and the alumni chapter. She established this scholarship to support graduate students who have decided to further their education after already serving as speech-pathologists. It is also available to students who can clearly describe how a future as a speech-pathologist would impact their lives.
Scholar: Andrew David Podolsky
Year Awarded: 2019
Working towards degree: Bachelor of Science in Communicative Disorders
About the Scholarship: Ruth Lindeck Forman is a Speech Language Pathologist and Speech Communication Specialist who received her master's degree from CSUN. She works to improve personal and cross-cultural communication and race relations through consulting, lecturing and writing. A desire to help students complete their degree programs in the department of Communication Disorders and Sciences led Ruth and her husband Lee to establish this scholarship endowment. They consider the gift a tribute to the department and to the education Ruth received at CSUN.
Scholar: Alyssa Staples
Year Awarded: 2019
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About Scholarship Recipient: Alyssa is a Southern California native with a background in music and an undergraduate degree in linguistics, both of which she believes enriched her understanding of the field of speech-language pathology. Her ultimate goal is to become a speech therapist, and she firmly believes in establishing a safe space and good rapport with clients to ensure good treatment. She also loves being able to collaborate with fellow clinicians to support the “whole” individual and further create that safe, culturally sensitive, and effective space as a team. Alyssa said that she is humbled to receive the Ruth Harris Award and feels that Ms. Harris is a true example of a clinician in the field. She is thankful for her leadership, support and encouragement in paving the way for new speech-language pathologists. Currently, Alyssa is working as a travelling speech-language pathologist in schools around the country. She has a passion for voice therapy and aphasia treatment and intends to take the time in her career to pursue those interests more fully and provide more specialized treatment in different communication areas across the lifespan.
About the Scholarship: Ruth Harris was the first full-time coordinator of the Language, Speech, and Hearing Center. Her career in the Department of Communication Disorders and Sciences spanned nearly 30 years, and although she is now retired, she engages with the university as a volunteer and donor. Ruth established this award to help support a graduate student who has demonstrated strength in collaboration with fellow students, supervisors and other professionals. Award recipients are exemplar of effective and culturally sensitive communication and treatment–the hallmark of the field of speech pathology and audiology.
