September 2019 Advisors Corner

Fall Is Here…Kinda!

Although it doesn’t feel like it, the Fall term is here and with it are new students anxious to start their path towards becoming an audiologist and continuing students that are one step closer. New faces and perspectives in the classroom and clinic, and a fresh start on another academic year. The beginning of the Fall term is like my second New Year’s Day in that it has that feeling of a new start or a fresh chapter. Unlike New Year’s though, people actually track the progress and look at the outcomes much harder! It’s always exciting to see new students become interested in SAA and start what I hope will be a lifelong commitment to advocacy for the profession. There are new goals to set for the upcoming year for generating audiology awareness and new discussions to be had for lingering challenges. I enjoy watching new leaders become aware of the dynamics that evolve and develop over the course of the year, and seeing them grow with confidence that only experience can bring. Time goes by faster than I would like to admit so one of my goals for the last few years has been to learn from and recognize each individual moment of impact (good or not-so-good) and reflect on the privilege it is to be a part of it. I hope that your academic year has more positive impact moments than not, and I would very much like to see you and your SAA chapter at AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo this year in my home city, New Orleans!

Steven Madix, PhD