Goals for Diversity & Inclusion in the SAA

The SAA created the Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Task Force to address the lack of diversity in audiology as highlighted by the 2020 Audiology Student Census. Since our initial call for volunteers, we have seen a lot of excitement and interest from students. To learn more about the Task Force’s plans for this year, see the brief overview of its goals and objectives below.

The D&I Task Force was created with four major objectives:

• Create a safe environment and community for audiology students of diverse backgrounds — including but not limited to: cultural diversity, racial diversity, religious diversity, sex/gender identity diversity, sexual orientation, and individuals with disabilities — to share experiences, make connections, and grow personally and professionally.
• Educate all audiology students on topics that help them respect, acknowledge, value, encourage, and empower those with differing experiences.
• Identify needs and create resources to address issues faced by students of diverse backgrounds.
• Organize outreach and educational events aimed to increase audiology awareness in underrepresented communities and create resources to facilitate local SAA chapters’ outreach efforts.

These objectives will be addressed through the following activities:

• Live streams/webinars highlighting diversity-related issues
• Blog posts/infographics emphasizing varying cultural experiences

The D&I Task Force has many goals for this year; we will have micro-volunteer opportunities for students who want to contribute to these objectives. We are excited to see its beginnings and how it will evolve throughout the years.

If you have any questions about the D&I Task Force, email Lily Rollins, SAA President-Elect and D&I Task Force Interim Chair, at lilyrollins.saa@gmail.com for more information.

Follow the Student Academy of Audiology on @StudentAcademyofAudiology on Facebook, @StudentAuD on Twitter, and @AcademyofAuD on Instagram for updates about upcoming diversity and inclusion events.

Lily Rollins, BS, is the current President-Elect of the national Student Academy of Audiology. She is a third-year student from the University of Texas at Dallas. She is interested in adult diagnostics and hearing aids.