By: Diane Longnecker, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, Vice President for Educational and Scientific Affairs
The Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) Convention Scholarship Committee reviewed applications to award TSHA members and student members with scholarships to attend the TSHA 2025 Convention in San Antonio. The TSHA Convention Scholarship Committee Co-Chairs are Ally Gore, SLPD, CCC-SLP, CLC, NTMTC, CNT, C-ELBW, and Brittany Rush, MS CCC-SLP, CNT.
TSHA 2025 Member Scholarship Recipients
Allison Wilson
Madelyn Vaughan
La Kethia Guidry
Averie Kozlowski
Tricia Krauss-Lehrman
TSHA 2025 Student Scholarship Recipients
Amy Martinez
Anaum Rizvi
Julianna Smeltzer
Kelsey Gutierrez
Laurna McFarland
Linda Leighton Simpkins
Mia Ontiveros
Mireya Rodriguez
Tiffany Spivey
Several Convention scholarship recipients sent notes of thanks to TSHA. These notes are excerpted below:
"TSHA provides access to potential professional objectives, to current research ideas, and to a community only found in the friendly state of Texas. Personally, this convention provided insight into new areas of the speech-language pathology field that I may want to pursue further and allowed me to access a new community. TSHA gave me something to look forward to post-grad, an ongoing future continued learning experience where I can meet up with my other SLP and audiologist friends. I am delighted to hear that learning does not end in college and encouraged to continue enhancing my knowledge in this field of service in a bonding way alongside my current and future Texas colleagues. Thank you again for this support. TSHA has allowed me insights into the latest research, the current Texas community in this field, and even ideas on where I want to work in my future career. Thank you!" —Linda Leighton Simpkins
"Attending the TSHA Convention this year as a scholarship recipient was an incredible experience. The ppening General Session with Kia Johnson truly set the tone. Her message was powerful and uplifting, and it reminded me why I love this profession. Throughout the convention, I attended sessions that sparked new ideas and deepened my understanding, particularly around language, literacy, and innovative strategies for therapy. Several sessions directly connected to my doctoral capstone project, and learning more in those areas really reignited my motivation to dig deeper and push my work forward. One special moment was meeting a member of my doctoral program from Rocky Mountain University for the first time in person. It was a full-circle experience—connecting with current colleagues, reconnecting with familiar faces, and gaining tools I can directly apply to my professional practice and research. I left feeling inspired, empowered, and deeply grateful. Thank you, TSHA, for creating such a meaningful and impactful space." —Tiffany D. Spivey
"I want to extend thanks to the TSHA Scholarship Committee for granting me the incredible opportunity to attend the 2025 Convention. The Navigating Early Career Medical Speech Pathology session with Maurice Goodwin and Amanda Weissberg was a standout for me. As a graduate student, their insights and guidance provided valuable reassurance as I prepare to embark on my journey as a future speech-language pathologist! Beyond the sessions, the convention was a remarkable opportunity to connect with professionals and explore the diverse paths within our field. This experience will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on my career, and I am already looking forward to future TSHA conventions. Thank you for supporting the next generation of SLPs!" —Kelsey Gutierrez
"Attending this year’s convention as a scholarship recipient was a truly invaluable experience. The programming struck a perfect balance between cutting-edge research and clinically applicable insights, making each session both engaging and immediately relevant to my work. I was especially grateful for Dr. Mary Sandage’s talk on managing upper airway disorders, which directly aligned with my clinical specialty. I also found the sessions on leadership and inclusive practices for neurodiverse populations to be deeply thought-provoking and important. The convention offered a well-rounded, enriching perspective that will continue to inform both my clinical and academic work moving forward. I’m incredibly thankful for the opportunity to attend and connect with others in the field." —Julianna Smeltzer
"Attending TSHA as a soon-to-be clinical fellow specializing in voice and swallowing disorders strengthened my foundation in medical speech-language pathology. There, I attended courses on the management of dysphagia and upper airway disorders and participated in an interactive masterclass in leadership and professional development. These sessions not only deepened my clinical knowledge but reinforced my understanding of the importance of lifelong learning in order to continually improve patient care. In addition to attending classes, one of the most impactful aspects of attending TSHA was connecting with esteemed leaders in our field, including Dr. Mary Sandage, Dr. Emily Plowman, and Maurice Goodwin. Ultimately, I left TSHA more motivated than ever to advocate for improved patient outcomes in the subspecialties of voice, swallowing, and upper airway disorders. I am deeply grateful for this opportunity and look forward to applying the insights and perspectives I gained to my clinical practice." —Laurna McFarland
"Extremely encouraging to be able to attend the convention, hear the keynote speaker, and be in the presence of those that are encountering the same day-to-day struggles. I always feel refreshed after attending the convention and feel like I have the energy to push through to the finish line. I also feel as if I have shaken up my bag of tools as well as removed and added some new ones. Thank you for the opportunity to attend!" —La Kethia Guidry