Duquesne University Speech-Language Pathology

Dr. Abigail Delehanty and a group of seven SLP students traveled to Belize to provide a four day summer camp to children with disabilities. Students had the opportunities to plan and implement the camp activities! In addition to the summer camp experience, they explored the Nim Li Punit Mayan archeological site and learned about the education system in Belize.

Check out the pictures from this amazing experience!

A beautiful day for a graduation! So incredibly proud of our DU SLP graduates and all they have accomplished through some challenging times! ❤️💙🎓 🙌🏻
We know amazing things are ahead for each of you! Congratulations Graduates! 🎓🤩

Congratulations to first year professional phase student, Michelle Catao, who is one of 13 recipients of the 2024 Students Preparing for Academic-Research Careers (SPARC) Award Program!

The SPARC program was designed to foster students’ interest in the pursuit of PhD education and careers in academia. As a SPARC awardee, Michelle will receive a $1,000 stipend to support activities proposed in her research mentoring and teaching plan with support of her mentor, Dr. Abigail Delehanty.

We are so proud of your dedication and hard work, Michelle! Please join us in celebrating this amazing accomplishment with Michelle!

Dr. David S. Ford recently presented his research at the 2024 Summer Biomechanics, Bioengineering, and Biotransport Conference in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Congrats on representing the DU SLP department in this and many other ways!

Congratulations to Mikolaj Bandosz and Isabella Sgarbossa who successfully defended their master’s theses earlier this month! Both students were mentored by Dr. Abigail Delehanty. Please join us in celebrating their hard work and amazing accomplishments!

This weekend the Duquesne University Speech-Language Pathology Department partnered with Patheous Health/Carolina Speech Pathology, LLC to host our 3rd Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) Training Course! It was a fantastic weekend as SLPs from near and far(Alaska and Canada to name a few) came together for this wonderful continuing education opportunity! A few of our year 1 professional phase students joined in too! 😁👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Attention DU SLP students, alumni, families and friends: Please join us in participating in ASHFoundation’s 5th Annual Virtual 5K on August 31st! See the link below to join our team. Since the walk is virtual, you can do this from anywhere--grab some friends and lace up those shoes!

https://runsignup.com/Race/MD/Rockville/ASHFoundation5kVirtualWalkRun

Team name: 2024 Duquesne University SLP

ASHFoundation’s 5th Annual Virtual 5K Walk/Run: Sparking Innovation with Every Stride The ASHFoundation’s 5th Annual Virtual 5K Walk/Run: Sparking Innovation with Every Stride is on Saturday August 31, 2024.

Dr. Seth Tichenor and 2nd Year professional phase student lab members along with colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh held a picnic for members of the Pittsburgh stuttering community on Saturday in honor of National Stuttering Awareness week!

Congratulations to our 1st year professional phase students who received their bachelor’s degrees yesterday! We’re so proud of each and every one of you!

Next step: master’s degree! We’ll see you back in Fisher Hall on Monday. Don’t forget to add B.S. to the signature on your progress notes 🙂.

Until then, celebrate all of your accomplishments with family and friends! YOU DID IT!!

More of the end of semester excitement for SLP students:

Delaney Nichols (1st year professional phase), Alex Huffman (1st year pre-professional phase), and Sarah Scanlon (2nd year pre-professional phase) participated in Serenata's Spring Serenade. Serenata is Duquesne's Women's Choir that was started two years ago by Delaney and friends. They performed the music they have been working on throughout the year for friends and family!

The SLP Department had much to celebrate at the 2024 Promotion and Tenure and Dean’s Award for Excellence celebration on Thursday. Please join us in congratulating the following faculty members:

Dr. Seth Tichenor—Successful completion of his third year review
Dr. Heather Rusiewicz—Dean’s Award for Excellence for Service to the Mission
Dr. David S. Ford—Dean’s Award for Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Pedagogy (Individual)
Dr. Abigail Delehanty and colleagues—Dean’s Award for Excellence for Innovative Teaching and Pedagogy (Team)

Mrs. Caterina Staltari was also recognized for 25 years of service in the SLP Department.

Last week Penny Schreffler, a 3rd year pre-professional phase student, and Julia Winebrenner, a 2nd year pre-professional phase student, presented their independent study during the department faculty meeting, followed by a brief celebration of this accomplishment prior to the start of finals! Great Work! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

The final ASL Club meeting of the semester took place this week. Senior members including SLP students, Jaimee Conmy, Sara Tuddenham, and Michelle Catao, were celebrated and received their honor cords.

Elections also took place for the new officers for the 2024-2025 academic year. Congratulations to the following students on their new board positions:
Natalie Rees (1st year pre-professional phase): Events Chair
Caitlin Spadone (3rd year pre-professional phase): Social Media Chair
Gianna Baker (3rd year pre-professional phase): Historian

Yesterday we celebrated 🎉this amazing group, our 2nd Year Professional Phase students, as they get ready for their last semester and their last externship placement before graduation! ❤️💙 So wonderful catching up with all of them! Check out the beautiful gifts they presented to the department to help decorate the SLAy Lab! (Credit to Julia Santos, 2nd Year Professional Phase student, for designing the beautiful artwork😊).

Last week NSSLHA ended the semester with an EPIC Bingo Night with plenty of treats, prizes and fun! The executive board for the 2024-2025 academic year was also announced!

President: Gianna Baker
Vice President: Mara Dimond
Secretary: Lauren Palfey
Treasurer: Emma Granto
Education Chair: Emma Szark
Fundraising Chair: Lianna Hilario
Service Chair: Caitlin Spadone
Research Chair: Grace Kovacik
Workshop Chair: Kylie Bracken
Public Relations: Patty Pannga

Congratulations to the new board and a special thank you to our 2023-2024 executive board for an amazing year!

Happy trails to another semester! SLP students enjoying a trail mix bar to fuel them through the last days of classes and as they prep for finals!

What better way to celebrate the upcoming National Stuttering Week (May 9th-15th) than with a picnic! The event is hosted by the Brain Systems and Language Lab at Pitt and the Life Impact of Speech and Stuttering Lab at Duquesne! Check out the details below and be sure to RSVP by May 10th.

Several of the students who completed independent studies this semester presented their projects yesterday during Sci Cafe. A fun way for peers, faculty, and even a special guest, future scientist, to learn!

The Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium was held yesterday. So proud of our student presenters and their mentors!

Congratulations 🎉👏🏻 to the Duquesne University Dukettes Dance Team who just got back from competing at NDA Nationals in Daytona Beach, Florida! The team competed in the Division 1 Jazz Category and advanced to finals for the first time as a student-run organization! Huge Accomplishment! A special shout out to our own SLP students who competed, Elisa Gabriel (Year 1 Professional Phase) and Carly Bruno (Year-3 Pre-Professional Phase) and who organized for the team to go to Nationals as Captain and National Chair! ❤️💙 We are all so proud of you!

Happy World Voice Day! In celebration, the Voice and Upper Airway Clinic at the Duquesne University Speech-Language Hearing Clinic is now offering free vocal and hearing wellness screenings. More information about the Clinic can be found here: https://www.duq.edu/academics/colleges-and-schools/health-sciences/academic-programs/speech-language-pathology/speech-language-hearing-clinic/motor-speech-disorders-clinic.php

Positively PSHA! The DU Department of SLP made the most of the annual convention of the Pennsylvania Speech-Language-Hearing Association (PSHA) at Station Square in Pittsburgh. We are especially proud of our many student scholars and grateful for the connections with our alumni!

Tonight’s DU Spirit of Diversity Celebration was amazing and with our SLP students representing! Maya, Emily, and Gina are integral to the Spiritan Campus Ministry and Olivia was shining her light as a Spirit of Community Scholar.
Thank you, Mayor Gainey for your inspirational words that will definitely shape us all!

Michelle Catao, first year professional phase SLP student, was recognized with an award for Meritorious Poster at the 2024 PSHA Convention President’s Reception. Her work with Dr. Delehanty was one of just seven posters of distinction! Congratulations!

Several of the SLP students participated in the Best Buddies annual Spread the Word event this evening!

Bravo to our SLP students, Elisa Gabriel and Cassie Waskiewicz (Year 1 Professional Phase), Carly Bruno (Year 3 Pre-Professional Phase), and Natalie McEvoy (Year 1 Pre-Professional Phase), who performed in the Spring Dance Showcase with the Duquesne University Dance Team and Duquesne Club Dance on Sunday!!

Chrissy Davidson Arisco (class of 2019) and her dad, Bill Davidson, will be running with Team Hoyt and wearing the Hoyt Honorary Bib for the 2024 Boston Marathon next week! Chrissy will be pushing her dad for the 26.2 miles as together they raise funds to provide adaptive equipment, promote inclusion, and support the dreams and aspirations of disabled individuals with the Hoyt Foundation.

“The Hoyt Foundation aspires to build the individual character, self-confidence and self-esteem of America’s young people with disabilities through inclusion in all facets of daily life; including in family and community activities, especially sports, at home, in schools, and in the workplace.”

Check out Chrissy and Bill’s full story, fundraising efforts, and information on all the runners at the links below:

https://www.givengain.com/.../christyn-raising-funds-for...

https://teamhoyt.com/meet-our-runners-2024/

For additional information on the amazing Hoyt family and their journey of advocacy and empowerment for individuals with disabilities:
https://hopnews.com/the-untold-story-of-judy-hoyt.../

SLP students and faculty taking a quick break to catch the eclipse! 🌒

Fantastic wrap-up last evening to the “Interprofessional Clinical Grand Rounds! Across 3 evenings, over 450 students from the Rangos School of Health Sciences, Nursing, and Pharmacy engaged in collaborative learning through group discussions related to presented cases. These discussions developed the students Interprofessional communication skills and fostered the importance of teamwork! While also providing the students with a view of client-centeredness, cultural humility, and a genuine respect for the patient and their family! 👏🏻

A special thank you to our own Dr. Abigail Delehanty and all those involved in planning and organizing such a wonderful event for student learning! ❤️💙

Best of luck to the Duquesne Women's Basketball team tonight!

WNIT Round ✌️

🏀: vs Monmouth
🕕: 6PM
🏟️: UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse
📊: bit.ly/DuqWBBStats
💻: ESPN+
🎟️: goduquesne.com/WNIT24

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