Acknowledging Outstanding Undergraduates with the Undergraduate Associate Awards

The Undergraduate Associate Awards recognize the outstanding contributions of Undergraduate Associate members of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA). There are four awards given annually, the Undergraduate Advocate Award, Undergraduate Humanitarian Award, Undergraduate Research Award, and Outstanding Undergraduate Award.

The Undergraduate Advocate Award is given to an Undergraduate Associate who shows strength in the areas of Advocacy and Education events within their SAA Chapter, the national SAA, and/or their community.

The Undergraduate Humanitarian Award is given to a student that demonstrates exemplary participation and leadership in SAA Chapter or other organization events that highlight Humanitarian efforts and betterment of the populations audiologists serve and the community at large.

The Undergraduate Research Award is given to an Undergraduate Associate who demonstrates commitment to audiology and hearing science research, or research in a related academic area.

The Outstanding Undergraduate Award is given annually to a student that shows strength in the areas of Humanitarian, Fundraising, Advocacy, and Education.

All Undergraduate Associate members of the SAA are eligible and strongly encouraged to apply! Visit the SAA website for more information and to download application materials. Applications are due via email to associateawards.saa@gmail.com by Monday, February 18, 2019. Winners of the Undergraduate Associate Awards will receive free SAA membership for 2020, so start working on your application materials today!

Need more inspiration? Meet the winners of the 2018 Undergraduate Associate Awards!

Kendra Stebbins, Florida State University
Undergraduate Advocate Award

While Junior Representative and Chapter President of the undergraduate Florida State University SAA Chapter, Kendra coordinated several advocacy events, including presentations for middle school bands and participation in the “Ask Me About Audiology” campaign and the Children’s Hearing Technology Day at the Florida State Capitol. Kendra also launched a hearing conservation program in the central regions of Ghana.

Rebecca Hauser, University of Iowa
Undergraduate Humanitarian Award

While at The University of Iowa, Rebecca coordinated activities for REACH, an education program for students with special needs, as well as fundraisers for the Communication Sciences and Disorders department. She also maintained active involvement in Listen and Speak Up, a summer preschool program at the University of Iowa which promotes spoken language skills in children who are hard-of-hearing.

Elizabeth Schneider, University of South Dakota
Undergraduate Research Award

A recent graduate of the University of South Dakota, Elizabeth spent much of her free time at Boys Town National Research Hospital as a research assistant in the Human Auditory Development Lab. She presented a poster of her findings on binaural intelligibility level difference in children with normal hearing at AAA 2018.

Amanda Demas, Loyola University Chicago
Outstanding Undergraduate Award

Amanda is a recent graduate of Loyola University Chicago, where she was involved in research on sensory perception within the Psychology department.  She also volunteered at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, where she organized group activities for children who are deaf and hard-of-hearing. Amanda served on the national SAA Undergraduate Committee (2016-2017), Chapter and Member Relations Committee (2017-2018), and she is currently a Task Force Chair for the Students with Hearing Loss Task Force.

For more information about the Undergraduate Associate Awards please contact Anastasia Grindle, Chair of the SAA Chapter and Member Relations Committee.

Emilee Hudgens is a third-year audiology student at Illinois State University. She currently serves on the Member Resources Subcommittee of the SAA Chapter and Member Relations Committee. Her audiology interests include pediatrics and cochlear implants.

Melissa Wiedman is an Undergraduate Associate member of SAA and recent graduate of the Illinois State University. She currently serves on the Member Resources Subcommittee of the SAA Chapter and Member Relations Committee.

Anastasia Grindle is a fourth-year audiology student at Northern Illinois University and audiology extern at Boys Town National Research Hospital. She serves on the SAA Board of Directors and is currently Chair of the SAA Chapter and Member Relations Committee. Her professional interests include pediatric and research audiology.