Hello Region VI,
As 2007 comes to a close, I would like to thank everyone for their work, dedication, and involvement with NSSLHA this past year. It has been a wonderful experience getting to know and work with NSSLHA members from our region. As 2008 approaches, it is my hope that we will have many more opportunities to connect as NSSLHA members in order to strengthen our leadership skills as future professionals in the fields associated to human communication sciences and its related disorders.
It is great to look back on all the wonderful events that took place with NSSLHA in 2007. Probably the best part about 2007, for us, was our 35th anniversary. We definitively had a lot to celebrate and many exciting activities happening. As our 35th anniversary celebrations wrap-up, we look forward to the future of NSSLHA!
Please feel free to contact me if there are any comments, questions, concerns, etc. I look forward to hearing from you!
Sincerely,
Carol Hassebroek
NSSLHA Region VI Councilor
cahassebroek@ole.augie.edu
- Highlights from NSSLHA Day at the ASHA Convention in Boston
- New Year Resolutions for your local chapter!
- McKinley Regional Project Grants & Community Service Grants
- Is your NSSLHA Chapter or Advisor Outstanding?
- NSSLHA on Facebook & MySpace!
- News From Around the Region
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1. Highlights from NSSLHA Day at the ASHA Convention in Boston
Thanks to the generous donations of 48 local NSSLHA chapters and ASHA's Board of Division Coordinators, the NSSLHA Scholarship Fund is now fully endowed.
The graduate school fair was open both Thursday and Friday. This year's NSSLHA Day Ambassadors were Boston University. The NSSLHA sessions discussed everything that NSSLHA has to offer, graduate schools, and what to do when looking for a job.
Honors Recipients 2007 were awarded at the NSSLHA Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. Honors of NSSLHA – Leonard LaPointe, Chapter Advisor Honors – Susan Ingram, Chapter Honors – College Misericordia
Congratulations to our President Elect - Laura Dosher (Region 9) and our Vice-President Elect - Gina Nalesnik (Region 1).
NSSLHA Night's theme this year was "Back to the Future" where we had professional dancers teach us some fun moves while the Blue Suede Boppers entertained us with music.
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2. New Year Resolutions for your local chapter!
I would like to challenge all of the local NSSLHA chapters in region VI to set up New Year Resolutions for 2008. Need help getting started? Check out the NSSLHA Chapter Recognition Program set forth by the Executive Council. Set smaller goals that ultimately lead to the requirements for a local chapter to become a Bronze, Silver, or Gold chapter. After setting up your chapter's New Year Resolutions, I would like to hear some of your ideas, so we can share them with everyone in region VI.
In addition to the previous challenge, I would like to challenge each local NSSLHA chapter to submit two news items between now and March 15th. These news items should be about something that your local NSSLHA chapter participated in or did. Digital photographs are also welcome. Please e-mail these items to cahassebroek@ole.augie.edu.
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3. McKinley Regional Project Grants & Community Service Grants
McKinley Regional Project Grants are for local NSSLHA Chapters in good standing. Chapters are eligible to receive grants up to $1,000 to support educational, clinical, and professional development activities for students in communication sciences and disorders programs. Regional Project Funds should be used to enable NSSLHA members to expand their knowledge of the profession through the development of materials, conferences, workshops, and sessions. The deadline is March 1, 2008.
Community Service Grants are for local chapters that wish to provide resources to nonprofit organizations that assist others living with a communication disorder. NSSLHA chapters in good standing are eligible to receive matching funds assistance up to $1,000 to purchase equipment (e.g., AAC devices, computers and/or peripheral computer devices) or other materials (e.g., clinical tests, software) to donate to a nonprofit organization. The deadline is March 1, 2008.
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4. Is your NSSLHA Chapter or Advisor Outstanding?
NSSLHA Chapter Advisor Honors are awarded by the Executive Council to the chapter advisor who has provided sustained and exceptional leadership through their efforts with the local NSSLHA chapter.
NSSLHA Chapter Honors are awarded to the NSSLHA chapter that demonstrates a significant combination of: an awareness of student issues and concerns, outreach to the community, educational opportunities, and social and fund-raising activities promoting both the professions and national NSSLHA.
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5. NSSLHA on Facebook & MySpace!
Yes, that's right! NSSLHA will soon be on Facebook & MySpace. Keep your eyes open throughout the month of December because NSSLHA will soon be having their very own official pages on Facebook and MySpace.
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6. News From Around the Region
Augustana College – Sioux Falls, South Dakota
The local NSSLHA chapter at Augustana College helped celebrate Homecoming 2007 by building a float and riding through the parade. The float won for "Best Overall Float!" This was a fun time for the local chapter and a great way of spreading awareness about speech-language pathologist and audiologist.
Besides winning the float competition, the NSSLHA chapter at Augustana College also celebrated the crowing of one of their members, Blair Meyer, for Homecoming Queen of 2007. Blair is a senior undergraduate student, a Sertoma Representative on the local NSSLHA board, and plans to attend graduate school in the fall of 2008 for speech-language pathology. Augustana College-NSSLHA feels that Homecoming Queen is a well deserved honor for Blair!
Fort Hays State University
The Fort Hays State University NSSLHA chapter participated in a local festival held during Homecoming weekend. The festival is called Octoberfest and is held in a park on the FHSU campus. They set up a booth and sold t-shirts for their group. The t-shirts were a big hit! Homecoming was a fun time for them to get out there and let others know about their program.
In addition to selling t-shirts during homecoming, FHSU-NSSLHA also nominated a queen candidate, Celina Konrade. Celina is a first year graduate student at FHSU in the communication disorders department and she is a residential hall assistant at a local dormitory on campus. She is involved in many activities outside of NSSLHA and was the perfect candidate. Not only was she nominated, but she made it all the way to the finals and won! FHSU-NSSLHA is very proud to call Celina Homecoming Queen of 2007.
The University of Nebraska at Kearney
The local NSSLHA chapter at the University of Nebraska at Kearney participated in their homecoming parade. It is the largest homecoming parade in the state of Nebraska. Students handed out information about there Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic and tossed candy to hundreds of children along the way. It was a great way for their organization to get involved with the community!
The University of Nebraska Omaha
The local NSSLHA chapter at the University of Nebraska Omaha had about 20 members participate in the 6th Annual Omaha Metro Area Buddy Walk on Saturday, October 6th. This event is affiliated with the National Down Syndrome Society. According to a local news channel, the event had around 1,700 participants and raised $93,000, which is $25,000 more than last year's event.
CSD Career Awareness Activities Day was a huge success for the University of Nebraska Omaha! They participated with their College of Education's Future Educators of America Event by holding three thirty break-out session on Communication Disorders. At least 60 middle school and high school students (this is likely a conservative number) participated in the sessions. They had three different activities to help give students an idea of the wide range of opportunities in our profession, especially in the schools. They received some feedback through evaluation forms and discussions with the students.
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