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Over 50 degree programs, with online and continuing education for personal and professional development.
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for a graduate student who demonstrate high aptitude for and commitment to counseling
Hannah Coleman • Yuye Gao • Jesse Mendez • Mariah Nevers • Raquel Grindstaff • Delasha Singleton
The Fran White Outstanding Counselor Student Award recognizes a counseling student who has demonstrated the following:
Typically, our department presents this award to a single student –one from each of our programs in clinical mental health counseling and school counseling.
However, we have decided to approach this differently this year in light of the overwhelming, unprecedented challenges we all faced during the academic year of 2020-2021 with the pandemic of COVID-19 and the sudden halt of in-person to remote learning and teaching, the murder of George Floyd and numerous other Black men and women reigniting a global movement to dismantle systemic racism throughout the country…and most recently with the rise in AAPI hate incidences and crimes across the country, etc.
All of these external circumstances brought on a landslide of stressors for our students causing quite a disruption to their education and professional training particularly while they were out in their fieldwork placements over the last year into this, their final year.
In spite of these hardships, our cohort of 2020-2021, remained resolute in their commitment to their education AND their professionalism in servicing their clients. Their potential to continue to be “outstanding” professional counselors in their respective disciplines is undoubtedly clear to the department faculty, and it is for this reason that we are very proud to be presenting this award to each of the students in our 2020-2021 cohort! The students in this cohort are:
for a first-year audiology student who has demonstrated excellence in clinical and academic endeavors and is expected to make significant contributions to the profession and to deafness
Maggie Gehm
Maggie has excelled in her short, largely remote, time here at Gallaudet. She has gone above and beyond in coursework and in her time as a research assistant, acquiring skills beyond the expectations of the program. She works in the peer mentoring program, and has supported the department moving forward in many ways. In the clinic, she is enthusiastic and committed. She respects and recognizes the needs of her clients, keeping them the center of attention while in her care.
for a student in the Department of Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences who exemplifies the legacy of Dr. Steve Ackley, who was a beloved colleague, mentor and friend to many; this memorial award is made in celebration of his warmth, humor and devotion to his students and his commitment to audiology and deaf education
Johnathon O’Neal
Johnathon is a very enthusiastic student who actively seeks out learning opportunities across multiple areas of study. He demonstrates a natural ability and interest in connecting with others and when faced with new experiences, Johnathon often takes the lead without hesitation. He is naturally inquisitive and demonstrates the independent learning style needed in higher education and professional practice.
for the professional training of outstanding students in the Department of Hearing, Speech and Language Sciences in order to facilitate the provision of service to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and established by Dr. and Mrs. Jacob Handelsman and Mr. and Mrs. William Hendrix in memory of their children, Jane Handelsman, a graduate of our audiology program, and her husband David Pryor Hendrix
Emily Quinn Parks
Emily Quinn brings calming positivity to the cohort. Like Dr. Ackley, Emily Quinn is encouraging and supportive to her fellow classmates both clinically and academically. Her passion for the profession is abundant and her ability to draw on previous experiences prior to coming to Gallaudet has helped her become a natural clinician!
for a speech-language pathology student who has demonstrated excellence in clinical and academic endeavors and is expected to make significant contributions to the profession and to deafness
Erika Slothower
Hello. The speech-language pathology program is thrilled to announce our award recipients for spring 2021. Our first award is called the award for excellence in speech-language pathology. This award is for a student who is graduating and during their two years at Gallaudet has shown strong academic success. This year, the speech-language pathology program selected Erika Slothower. Erika has natural clinical skills and is skilled at interacting with a variety of ages and client types. At the same time, she has demonstrated academic success. Congratulations Erika.
for the professional training of outstanding students in order to facilitate the provision of service to deaf and hard of hearing individuals and established by Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Kaplan in memory of their daughter who, although not deaf, had a physical disability that impacted her ability to communicate
Melissa Richardson
for a student who has demonstrated excellence in both the academic and clinical areas of the Speech-Language Pathology Program, a student who is expected to broaden the understanding of hearing and hearing loss
Erin Curran
for an outstanding student in school psychology
Denise Fedlan
Each year the Clinical Psychology Program Faculty recommends a student to receive the Larry G. Stewart award, in honor of Professor Larry Stewart, who taught in the Department of Psychology and demonstrated commitment to professionalism, integrity, and highest standards related to theory, practice, and research in psychology and deaf people. This year, the award goes to Denise Fedlan.
Denise is currently an advanced student in the clinical psychology program. She will soon begin her predoctoral clinical internship.She successfully defended her dissertation, Examining the Relationship between Perceived Parenting Style and Attachment in Deaf Adults. Her studies have highlighted her skill in research design and quantitative analysis.She stands out as a leader among her peers. She has taken on a number of leadership roles, most recently becoming our program’s student representative and serving as a liaison between students and program faculty. Congratulations Denise!
for an outstanding student in clinical psychology
Tobias Canterbury • Maia Quinn
Hello Everyone, I am Dr. Robert Whitaker, faculty in the Gallaudet School Psychology Program. I am here to announce this year’s winners of the Elizabeth M. Peet Fellowship. Dr. Elizabeth Peet was a professor of English, Latin, and French from 1900 to 1950 and Gallaudet’s Dean of Women from 1928 until her retirement in 1951. The fellowship was established in 1987 by Laurence and Elizabeth Randall in honor of Dr. Peet. Every year, the Gallaudet School Psychology Program faculty chooses an advanced graduate student pursuing a degree in School Psychology with a subspecialty in working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing individuals.
The recipient demonstrates commitment, enthusiasm, and skill in providing psychological services for deaf school children and whose work holds the potential for significant contributions in the field of school psychology. I am excited to announce the 2021 Elizabeth M. Peet Fellowship winners. Tobias Canterbury and Maia Quinn! Tobias and Maia have shown consistent excellence in their course work, advanced performance on comprehensive examinations, and a commitment to the highest standards of professional practice. Tobias and Maia show potential for important contributions in the field of school psychology. Congratulations to you both!
for two graduate students who influence significant systemic change in the field of sign language education
Erica Miley • Vyron Kinson • Krishna Madaparthi
for two graduate students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance in the field of sign language education
Nha Kim • Jenna Smith • Desiree Duong
for two graduate students who exhibit pedagogical innovation and aptitude in the field of sign language education
Eduardo Ayala • Leeza Williams • Jerome Lagaya
for two outstanding graduating students in memory of Daniel T. Cloud
Gara Gabriel • Neha Balachandran
The Daniel Cloud Award is for students who have done outstanding work in their studies. There are two recipients for this award. The first one goes to a student who successfully completed her graduate studies and student teaching in Elementary Education and Deaf Education. She is a dedicated student. The award goes to…. Gara Gabriel. Congratulations!
The second recipient is a student who successfully completed her courses and student teaching in Deaf Education. She is passionate about teaching and excelled in supporting other students in the department. The award goes to… Neha Balachandran. Congratulations!
for the student most likely to make a significant contribution to the field of teaching deaf children and who is expected to remain in the field for some time
Hannah Neild
The Helen Fay Award is for a graduate student judged most likely to contribute to the field of teaching deaf students and to remain in the field for some time. This recipient is an outstanding student who will make a great impact on Deaf/hoh children. The award goes to… Hannah Neild. Congratulations!
for a first-year student who has demonstrated scholastic ability and aptitude for teaching deaf children
Stephanie La Salle • Brianna DiGiovanni
for a student who has demonstrated excellence in social advocacy work while enrolled in the International Development Program
Christine “Chrissie” Marshall
for a student who has demonstrated excellence in policy development and research while enrolled in the International Development Program
Nageena Ahmadzai
for an outstanding interpretation student
Tierra Carter
for a graduate student who has completed an exemplary interpretation research paper while enrolled in the Master of Arts in Interpretation Program
Christina DeHart
for an outstanding linguistics student
Lee Ann Tang • Chanika Dorsey
Debbie Chen Pichler: The Robert E. Johnson Outstanding Graduate Linguistics Award was established in honor of Bob Johnson, who founded the Linguistics Department here at Gallaudet 35 years ago. Thank you, Bob! This year the award will be presented to two students: Lee Ann Tang [Lee Ann’s namesign] and Chanika Dorsey [Chanika’s namesign]. Congratulations to both of you!
Julie Hochgesang:: Lee Ann and I have worked together closely for MoLo, a research project. She was our lead interviewer. I’ve been so impressed with her level of professionalism and her ability to engage with people. She has a wonderful ability to gather information from a variety of people. If not for her involvement, we would be lost! We’re so thankful for Lee Ann.
Debbie Chen Pichler: Hi Lee Ann! Congratulations! Congratulations!
Julie Hochgesang: And now for Chanika, I’ve been very impressed by her level of involvement, her thoughtfulness in asking questions, her reflection on content and research, and her ability to pull all of those observations together. She really asks wonderful questions, and has shown a truly impressive level of involvement.
Risa Shaw: Yay! Congratulations!
Deanna Gagne: Congratulations to you both! We hope to see you around soon, and we look forward to seeing your accomplishments that are to come!
Julie Hochgesang: We look forward to seeing you as fellow linguists!
Miako Villanueva: Congratulations!
Risa Shaw: Happy award to you! Congratulations! Hooray!
Ryan Lepic: Awesome! Congratulations! Thumbs up!
Debbie Chen Pichler: Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations! Congratulations!
for a graduate student who has made and will continue to make an impact on the field of Deaf Studies
Ai Takayama
for an outstanding public administration student
Jessica Fein
Hello. My Name is David Penna, Chair of the Department of Government & Public Affairs. I am here to award the Outstanding MPA Student award to Jessica Fein. Congratulations Jessica! Have a great graduation!
for a graduate student who has demonstrated leadership and outstanding potential for contributing to social work practice with deaf and hard of hearing people
Kaniel McDonald-Dodd
In 1996 the Department of Social Work established the Catherine H. Moses Award in honor of the first director of the MSW Program. Mrs. Moses was a distinguished member of the faculty of the Department for 20 years until her retirement in 1996. The award recognizes the graduating MSW student who best demonstrates leadership and outstanding potential for contribution to Social Work practice with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people.
Kaniel is a humble person. She is excellent in academics and interacts professionally with her colleagues particularly faculty and staff. She has demonstrated excellent leadership skills while involved in the Mu Pi Honor Society. Congratulations.
for a graduate student who has demonstrated outstanding professionalism and commitment to social justice
Jaemi Hagen
The G. Arlene Gavin Award was established in 1992 by the Department of Social Work to honor the contributions of Mrs. G. Arlene Gavin to the development of graduate studies in social work accessible to deaf and hard of hearing persons, and to recognize the graduating social work student who demonstrates outstanding, professionalism and commitment to social justice like Arlene Gavin.
Jaemi excels in scholastic activities. Jaemi demonstrates creativity and resourcefulness that prepare him for service to deaf and hard of hearing communities. He had demonstrated a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion. Congratulations.
for a student who has consistently demonstrated outstanding research and scientific scholarship, originality and creativity in his or her science, and scholarly achievements in research commensurate with the highest standards of cognitive neuroscience and educational neuroscience
Dr. Lauren Berger
The recipient of the 2021 PhD in Educational Neuroscience Outstanding Research Award was able to collect data from a very precious population and was able to bring to completion an innovative, state of the art dual brain imaging project while the world was grappling with a pandemic. Her project investigates how protactile language is processed in the brain of individuals who are Deaf and Blind. Her results are set to revolutionize our understanding on how language is processed in the brain. Her work has already attracted attention and has been invited by national and international universities to present. She is now ready to submit her manuscript to one of the highest scientific outlets. Congratulations Dr. Lauren Berger!
for a student who has made a significant contribution to the translation of basic scientific discoveries in cognitive neuroscience and educational neuroscience through the advancement of an original creation or contribution that has the potential to transform society, policies, and individual lives spanning the nation and world
Sarah Kimbley
This year, the 2021 PhD in Educational Neuroscience Research-Based Translation Award is presented to this student, who with the mentorship of Dr. Melissa Herzig’s in Translation, and her Advisor, Dr. Ilaria Berteletti, in the Numeracy and Educational Neuroscience (NENS) Laboratory, created an original resource to translate science research into a meaningful benefit for society. Her translation work aims to explain child’s development on language, working memory, and arithmetics and supports a transformation in the way we think about numeracy, bilingualism and educating deaf children.
Through the unique circumstances during the pandemic, the student demonstrated her unique insights, creativity, and perseverance and created an original translation work with powerful science and educational significance, impacting educational professions, members of the public especially parents and community and public policy in the United States.
Congratulations, SARAH KIMBLEY!
for a graduate student whose outstanding research that adds to an understanding of diagnostic techniques and treatments aimed at improving mental health outcomes of individuals who are deaf
Rachel Roberts
I’m thrilled to present the Weiner Family Research Award. The adult DeafDisabled population has received little attention either in research or in the development of assessments and interventions. The 2021 recipient of the Weiner Family Research Award has conducted research investigating the lived experiences of DeafDisabled individuals on Gallaudet’s campus and outside of the university setting. She discovered common themes among these experiences which have significant potential effects on multiple aspects of their lives, including physical and mental health and identified strategies to mitigate potential harms, including direct mental health services, education and advocacy for inclusion and social change, and strengthening the positive aspects of the experiences of DeafDisabled individuals such as resilience. While this is preliminary work and much more needs to be done to enhance the lives of DeafDisabled adults, this work has the potential to have a significant impact on this community. Congratulations, Dr. Rachel Roberts!
for a graduate student who completed an outstanding scholarly project during their academic program
I’m thrilled to present the Graduate Student Scholarly Achievement Award. The person who is receiving this award is an MSW student who will be graduating this May. While enrolled in the MSW program, he co-authored an article with Dr. M. Elizabeth Bowman on “Deaf adults in criminal justice systems” which he recently submitted for publication. Through a comprehensive review of the literature, the article describes the challenges faced by d/Deaf adults in criminal justice systems during arrest, trial, incarceration, and reentry and proposes recommendations for reform. Congratulations, Jaemi Hagen!
Kaitlyn Sheapp
I’m thrilled to present the Graduate Student Scholarly Achievement Award. The person who is receiving this award has conducted research that will represent a significant contribution to professionals involved with early intervention for children born with possible hearing loss. As part of her Doctoral Audiology capstone project, examined the association between the presence of craniofacial anomalies and newborn hearing screening results, as well as the prevalence of confirmed hearing loss for infants born with and without risk factors. She reviewed records for nearly 40,000 infants born at two hospitals in the Greater DMV area between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2019. She also surveyed 13 state EHDI programs and 90 newborn hearing screening program coordinators across the United States to determine how facilities document craniofacial anomalies at birth. Her results may potentially change newborn hearing screening protocols for the entire country. Congratulations, Kaitlyn Sheapp!
for a graduate student who made significant contributions to their field during their academic program
I’m thrilled to present the Graduate Student Outstanding Achievement Award. The person who is receiving this award has demonstrated exceptional dedication to her graduate studies. A nurse by background and training, she saw a great need to launch a health research project in her native Japan. In her work with Dr. Poorna Kushalnagar’s Center for Deaf Health Equity, the recipient was able to effectively translate complex health research information into an easy-to-understand visuals for a 2019 WFD poster presentation and did an outstanding job translating statistical information into sign language for a 2019 article about deaf women’s adherence to cancer screening recommendations. While completing her M.A. degree in Deaf Studies, she has produced exceptional work. In a special topics course on Linguistic Ethnography, with Dr. Erin Moriarty Harrelson, she prepared a presentation that she will deliver at Deaf Academics Conference with two of her classmates. This presentation will become a publishable article, which they will co-author this summer. She has also produced a well-thought-out thesis that is not only an exceptional piece of scholarly work, but also a contribution to the improvement of Japanese deaf people’s quality of life by changing the way that nurses work with deaf patients in Japan. Congratulations, Ai Takayama!
Cassie Turner
I’m thrilled to present the Graduate Student Outstanding Achievement Award. The person who is receiving this award maintained an extremely high GPA while enrolled in the accelerated Audiology program and the ITF certificate program, completing a high-quality capstone project in each program. She consistently exceeded faculty expectations, was eager and quick to learn, compassionate and kind, demonstrated enthusiasm about audiology and Deaf culture, actively participated in the Gallaudet community, and served the Program. She demonstrated exceptional performance in all areas of clinical practice, receiving praise from her supervisors for her clinical competence, high-quality report writing, and positive interactions with patients. Congratulations, Cassie Turner!
for an individual who has made exemplary contributions to Gallaudet University’s graduate programs over the years
Dr. Teresa Crowe
I’m thrilled to present the Outstanding Graduate Faculty Award. The person who is receiving this award is a highly motivated and dedicated faculty member who has earned the respect of her colleagues in and out of her department. She is innovative in developing new courses and continuously improving the quality of the curriculum and expanding options for online education. She provides valuable learning experiences for her students, mentors new faculty, involving students and faculty in her research endeavors. She provides highly valued service to the department, the university, and to the field of social work. Congratulations, Dr. Teresa Crowe!
for an individual or organization that has provided exemplary support to Gallaudet University’s graduate program over a substantial period of time
Laurie Hooper
I’m thrilled to present the Outstanding External Collaboration Award. The person who is receiving this award is a graduate of the MSW program who has served as a guest speaker and provided clinical supervision and support of BSW and MSW students in multiple internship capacities for decades. In her capacity as clinical director of Deaf REACH, she has provided a training program and outstanding supervision. Congratulations, Laurie Hooper!
Admissions Requirements
Spring 2021 – Dec 12Fall 2021 – May 15