Class of 2020 Celebration

This is Jeff Higginbotham, the Department Chair and I'd like to take this opportunity to recognize all the undergraduate and graduate students who are graduating this year.

Most of you have been in school since you were 4-5 years old, so this weekend marks a pretty important time for each of you and your families, as it represents the culmination of many years of education. The entire faculty realizes the importance of this process, and you should know that we learn as much from you as you from us. So this is a very proud moment for us too.

I realize this semester and graduation is far different than what you and your families expected. It's certainly different than what our faculty expected as well.

One thing for certain, life is changing.

This is my 6th year as department chair - the 6th year giving this speech (although this time via written word).  Each year I make a point about talking about change and the need to have an education that prepares you for the rapid changes occurring in our profession.  Well these last few months have been a real world example of having to make rapid and perhaps permanent changes in some of the ways that we work and go to school.

Every year in my graduate speech, I would make a prediction that "in a few years" we would be engaging in telepractice for speech-language pathology and audiology.  In the last few months since the pandemic started, we've completely revised the ways that we are going to be delivering our services to incorporate a heavy dose of telepractice in our graduate training program. 

 And of course all of you have experienced the good - and the bad - of online education this spring as the entire university pivoted with a little as a week's notice to delivering all coursework remotely.  As we move back into the classroom, we will be taking the best of what we learned from this situation to create better classroom experiences.

In this brief time, much of our research has moved out of our labs to be conducted remotely.  In my own lab, my students are located all across the state and in Canada, as well!  We do our work analyzing video via the internet and meet for weekly lab meetings. For us, it's worked out pretty well. I'm pleasantly surprised how we were able to adapt so quickly to the changing circumstances.

I know these last few months have been challenging for each one of you and please know that the entire faculty appreciates your circumstances and are proud of your ability to adapt to this new, and hopefully temporary, predicament.  As each of you reflect on your time in college, please recognize your abilities to change in the face of a challenge - like the pandemic.  Being able to make changes and see opportunities, particularly in the face of adversity will be an important key to your professional - and personal success.

Please take care, and Congratulations Class of 2020!

Jeff Higginbotham, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences
Fellow, American Speech-Language and Hearing Association

Granted to student clinicians in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences (CDS), who have demonstrated outstanding performance and potential for excellence as master clinicians in speech pathology/audiology.  Through the generosity of Mrs. Jan Tindle, a courageous lady who worked hard to overcome the handicapping effects of a total laryngectomy, and to Professor Lewis K. Shupe formerly of this faculty, who helped her as clinician and friend, a fund was established in 1991 to provide awards to student clinicians in this service area.

Honors deserving speech graduate students working in the area of Child Language Disorders, in memoriam to Dr. Weber, the first CDS doctoral recipient who had a heartfelt interest in child language disorders.  This endowed fund was established in November 1997.

Granted to female graduate students in CDS exhibiting excellence in academic and clinical studies in the service area of Speech Language Pathology and/or Audiology.

Granted to outstanding students working in the Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic who demonstrates high productivity, superior work ethic and who goes above and beyond to support the mission of the clinic.

Honors the most outstanding graduating senior from each department in UB's College of Arts and Sciences. The award recognizes the undergraduate who has best demonstrated the highest level of academic achievement and involvement in the Department of Communicative Disorders and Sciences (CDS).

Recognizes an outstanding undergraduate student in our Department. The award is based on quality of the student's work in the area of research.

Recognizes an outstanding undergraduate student for reliability and dedication in helping with community and school volunteer projects.

2019-2020 GSA Officers

President: Jordynn Koroschetz

Vice President: Jessica Browning

Secretary: Julie Pento

Treasurer: Heather Regasz-Rethy & Sara Herr

Fundraising Chair: Erin Mangene

Service Chair: Charlotte Molloy

Social Chair: Carolyn Jimenez

Senators: Nicole Kellar, Hind Alamari, Desiree Doucette

2019-2020 NSSLHA Officers

President: Stephanie Guardado

Vice President: Jordynn Koroschetz

For the second consecutive year, the UB NSSLHA Chapter has been awarded the NSSLHA Chapter Gold Honors. UB's Chapter is among less than 70 chapters to be awarded nationally that demonstrate an outstanding effort to support National NSSLHA’s mission to inspire, empower, and support students in CDS. They have sought to unite undergraduate (SASH) and graduate (GSA) efforts to participate in professional service, advocacy, and educational events at UB and in Buffalo. Congratulations for all their hard work!

2019-2020 Executive Board

President: Emily Kam

Vice-President: Haley Connolly

Secretary: Alex Verost

Treasurer: Alicia Vilnyanskiy

Outreach Chair: Jenna Hendler

Social Chair: Tara Mango

2019-2020 SASH Officers

President: Stephanie Guardado

Vice President:  Madeleine Friedman

Secretary: Sara Spilkevitz

Treasurer:  Paulina Nicole Gonzalez

Student Liaison: Sandra Lee