Meet the 2018-2019 Undergraduate Associate Award Winners

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

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.

This year three Undergraduate Associate Awards were presented to students who exemplified outstanding service and scholastic dedication, setting them apart and preparing them well for continued involvement, leadership, and growth within our organization, at their university, and in their community.  These Undergraduate Associate members will receive free SAA Membership for 2020!

Meet the winners of the 2018-2019 Undergraduate Associate Awards!

Lauren-Rose Nguyen, California State University Los Angeles
Undergraduate Humanitarian Award

Lauren-Rose currently serves as the SAA State Ambassador for the state of California, connecting audiology programs, promoting collaboration between chapters, and sharing information from the national organization. While still a student at California State University Los Angeles, she has assisted with and collaborated in speech therapy sessions for Providence Speech and Hearing. Additionally, Lauren-Rose participated in “School on Wheels,” a mentorship and academic assistance program for children who are homeless or residing in emergency shelters.

Jeffrey James Shymanski, University of Iowa
Undergraduate Research Award

A recent graduate of the University of Iowa, Jeffrey worked and volunteered in a number of different labs with interest that span the breadth of pediatric audiology as well as cognitive psychology. Jeffrey found a particular passion in studying the interactions of cognitive and linguistic mechanisms in children with normal hearing and in children with hearing loss.  He presented his findings at the 2018 American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) Annual Conference in both a poster presentation and hands-on learning lab with his research mentor, Dr. Elizabeth Walker. Jeffrey served in a leadership position with his local SAA Chapter while an Undergraduate Associate Member, planning and executing the Undergraduate Research Symposium, where undergraduate students involved in hearing and balance research have the opportunity to present their research findings to peers, encouraging increased research participation among undergraduate students.

Rebecca Hauser, University of Iowa
Outstanding Undergraduate Award

Rebecca recently graduated from the University of Iowa, where she was involved with a number of different professional, research, and philanthropic activities.  Rebecca’s research involvement focused on cochlear implant recipients and, while a student, she presented two poster presentations involving auditory evoked potentials in hybrid cochlear implant users. She has maintained active involvement and taken on leadership roles with her local SAA and National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapters. Rebecca also maintained yearly involvement in Listen and Speak Up, a program that provides aural rehabilitation services to preschool children in the summer, and UI REACH, a program for college students with special needs. This fall, Rebecca will be entering the Doctor of Audiology program at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

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.