November 2024 President’s Corner

Now that you have been in classes and clinic for the past few months, I hope you are feeling like you have the hang of things. If you are having a particularly tough semester, remember that the end of the semester is in sight, so take a moment to breathe and take breaks when you need them. Plan a fun activity that you can look forward to when you have some time to rest and recharge over winter break. For those of you who applied to externships this year, I hope all that is behind you now and you can focus on any cumulative exams and projects you have left for the school year.

It’s now November and if you’re anything like me, it means you’re counting down the months and days until AAA 2025+HearTECH Expo in New Orleans! I highly encourage all students to attend at least one conference as a first-year student. Of course, there are many other state and national conferences in addition to the AAA annual conference, but you have not experienced all the profession has to offer until you have attended. The annual AAA conference also has certain student events such as the SAA Mix and Mingle and the SAA Conference!

As a first-year audiology student the first conference I attended was AAA 2022 in St. Louis, Missouri. That year, I made it my goal to meet as many students as possible and to introduce myself to presenters whose work I was familiar with. After introducing myself to two or three people it became much easier to start up a conversation with both students and presenters. All the professionals in the field were once students and they are more than happy to talk to students about their work. I left that conference with new friends, a desire to be more involved in my future profession, and feeling confident in my ability to start a conversation with just about anyone at a conference!

As a fourth-year audiology student I now consider myself a conference veteran, having attended at least ten conferences and presented at about half of those conferences. I still look forward to each conference I attend and all the conversations I will have with fellow attendees and presenters at those events. If you would like to expand your professional network, attending a conference is a great way to meet individuals in the profession who are as passionate about audiology as you are. If attending a national conference is not possible this year, look to your state and local audiology groups as they may have upcoming events that are closer to you. It is never too early to start building your professional network. I hope to see you all in New Orleans!

Lindee Alvarez
2024-2025 National SAA President