Scholar: Christian Fischer
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About scholarship recipient: Christian Fischer is from Redlands, California and enjoys coaching water polo, reading, running and appreciates a good vegan taco. He received a degree in communication sciences and disorders from The University of Redlands. After graduating, he moved around in different careers until he realized he wanted to work permanently in the field of communication disorders and sciences. Christian decided on CSUN for his graduate degree because it best suited his academic and personal interests with location and flexibility. He said receiving this scholarship is not only helping financially, but is reaffirming to him that he is on the right path. After Christian graduates, he plans to pursue a career in the field of communication disorders and sciences in a pediatric hospital setting.
Scholar: Jamey Fitzpatrick
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About scholarship recipient: Jamey grew up in the Mid-West but has resided in California since 1998. She received her bachelor’s degree in writing and theatre from Eastern Michigan University. She then obtained a Master of Fine Arts degree from DePaul University in theatre. After seeing many social justice issues in her work and having dealt with family and her own recovery from long-term injuries, Jamey was drawn to speech therapy. She completed CSUN’s pre-speech language pathology program and interned with teens and young adults in Van Nuys. This experience surprised, inspired, and challenged her to bring her best to the therapy sessions with them. Due to such positive experiences with the distance learning program, Jamey decided to pursue CSUN’s residential program. While working full-time and transitioning completely into the field of speech pathology, she has had some setbacks, especially because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The scholarship has been a huge help and she is very grateful to Helen Wade and her contributions to the field of speech language pathology, as well as her mentorship within the speech therapy community. Jamey said that Helen’s love of languages inspires her and reminders her of the lifelong journey to become more compassionate and culturally responsive therapists.
Jamey has enjoyed working with teens with autism, individuals with pragmatic and fluency issues, and adults with motor speech issues. She is fascinated by the brain and its capacity to heal and adapt. Wherever she ends up serving clients, she wants to help support and advocate for cultural and linguistically diverse communities and clients. She hopes to find ways to build bridges as a monolingual speech language pathologist for greater sensitivity and responsiveness in her own work as well as in the field.
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: Alisa Mejia
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About scholarship recipient: Alisa is a second-generation graduate student and eldest of three sisters to immigrant parents from Guatemala and El Salvador. She was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Alisa received her bachelor’s degree from CSUN in communication disorders and sciences and is grateful to continue in the master’s program. She is thankful to the Forman’s for their generosity and support of graduate students like her; the scholarship allows her to invest in the future and have confidence as she continues striving for her goals. After graduation, Alisa plans to work with children or adults as a Spanish-Bilingual speech language pathologist.
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: Gillian Vista
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About scholarship recipient: Gillian was born in Manila, Philippines and migrates to Los Angeles at the age of six. She attended Pasadena City College before transferring to CSUN to study communications disorders and sciences. She appreciates the flexibility within the field’s clinical settings and enjoys the challenge of a tough but rewarding program.
Gillian would like to increase awareness of the field of speech language pathology through community outreach and service programs in underserved communities and through research studies. She would also like to learn about speech services that are offered in other countries and non-profit organizations. Gillian is grateful to the late Ruth Rothman and her family for providing the scholarship to aspiring speech language pathologists. This aid will help her to achieve her personal and professional goals of conducting research, attending conferences, and obtaining her master’s degree.
Scholar: Heidi Sasaki
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
About the Scholarship: The late Ruth Rothman came from Russia with her family and learned from her parents at a young age the importance of helping others. At age 46, she began her education at CSUN, earning her bachelors in 1973 and then her masters in 1977, both in speech and communication disorders. Ruth created this scholarship for hardworking students who want to become teachers or therapists dedicated to helping children with communication difficulties.
Scholar: Elizabeth Espinoza
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
Scholar: Robin Kohanteb
Year Awarded: 2021
Working towards degree: Master of Science in Communicative Disorders
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.
