Preparing for the Review Process
The Admissions Corner is designed to help programs with the admissions process for graduate education programs in audiology and speech-language pathology. We want to provide information related to WebAdMIT (the program-facing program), CSDCAS (the applicant-facing program), application management, and multiple other issues related to admissions. We are focusing the next few Admissions Corner articles on preparing for different stages of…
Read MoreGuiding Students Through the Application Process
With the CSDCAS admissions portal open a little over a month, now is a good time to help your undergraduate and transfer students learn to access it as they apply for next year’s graduate programs. My department presents information about CSDCAS in three different Fall semester meetings: In these three meetings, we walk students through the following: …
Read MoreThe Power of Collective Intelligence, Teamwork, and Diverse Perspectives
At its July business meeting, the CAA and ASHA Accreditation reviewed feedback from the widespread peer comment period and voted on revisions to Standard 3.4 A/B. While the CAA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that all accredited programs—regardless of location—can equitably meet accreditation standards and prepare practitioners to deliver individualized care to all clients, we also…
Read MoreShared Purpose and Meaningful Connections
Did you know that several groups within the larger ASHA Community are dedicated to supporting the diverse communities within our professions and those populations we serve? You can learn more about these important groups, the work they do, the resources they offer, and how to become involved in any one of these groups through ASHA…
Read MoreBridges to Belonging: Merging Community Partnerships with CSD Curriculum
Authentic connections and organic experiences are critical facilitators of DEIB that require engagement beyond the walls of a classroom or clinic. It requires intentionality and collaboration across partners who are willing to engage in mutually beneficial experiences. As communication sciences and disorders (CSD) faculty and clinical educators, finding opportunities for these immersive experiences for our…
Read MorePractical Strategies for Recruiting Underrepresented Students into the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD)
Recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds into the field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) remains a critical challenge. According to data from the most recent 2023-2024 CSD Education Survey, students from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds represent less than 34% of undergraduate students and 29% of graduate students enrolled in CSD programs. This decline between the undergraduate and graduate levels highlights…
Read MoreWhen Belonging Begets Belonging
Belongingness is not an aspirational concept in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD); it is a foundational condition for learning, professional identity formation, and ethical culturally responsive clinical practice. In CSD, students are asked to engage deeply—with vulnerability, cultural humility, and reflective capacity—while navigating high expectations, evolving clinical competence, learning in real time, teambuilding, and assessment-focused supervision. These demands do not pause…
Read MoreDismantling Microaggressions in Clinical Settings: A Guide for Teaching CSD Student Clinicians
Microaggressions are defined as brief, commonplace, daily verbal, behavioral, or environmental indignities, whether intentional or unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative slights and insults and may have harmful psychological effects on individuals or groups (Sue et al., 2007). Microaggressions are pervasive in both clinical and academic environments and often manifest as subtle, yet harmful expressions of bias…
Read MoreNavigating Funding Mechanisms to Support Research: A Practical Roadmap for Speech Language Hearing Professional
When Maya, a second-year master’s student in speech-language pathology, developed an idea for her thesis on bilingual language development, her first reaction was excitement. Her second was hesitation. She wondered how she would pay for participant incentives, transcription support, and conference travel. Across campus, an early-career faculty member was refining a pilot study on technology-supported aphasia…
Read MoreDo Letters of Recommendation Actually Work?
In an age of holistic admissions, letters of recommendation are still common among CSD admission requirements; however, research suggests the tool systematically advantages some applicants while disadvantaging others. Historically, programs commonly use letters of recommendations because it provides a narrative context that could offer insight into future professional behavior. The issue at hand is not…
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