Dr. Tabitha Parent-Buck, ASHS' founding chair and one of the first Au.D. graduates in the nation, accepted the award for ASHS. ASHS opened its doors to Au.D. students in 2000, and has since graduated almost 1,000 degree holders. In addition to offering a distance education program, ASHS will graduate its first residential class this spring.
The PCO award was accepted by Dr. George Osborne, who developed the first School of Audiology in the country as the founding dean at PCO. PCO also opened its doors in 2000, and has since graduated almost 500 Au.D.s. It offers both residential and distance education programs, and has just opened state-of-the-art facilities for student training with its Pennsylvania Ear Institute.
"These awards acknowledge the extraordinary efforts made by these two academic institutions toward fulfilling the goals, values and mission of the AFA in transforming audiology to an autonomous doctoral profession and enhancing professional education," said AFA Executive Director Susan Paarlberg. "They have demonstrated their commitment to quality audiology practitioner education, and continue to excel in their dedication to professionalism, best practices and high standards of excellence in training and instruction."
Tabitha Parent-Buck (right), Au.D., Arizona School of Health Sciences founding chair, accepts the educational excellence award for ASHS from Kenneth Lowder (left), Au.D., AFA chair, and Deborah Price (center), Au.D., AFA vice chair.
George Osborne (right), Pennsylvania College of Optometry, School of Audiology founding dean, accepts the educational excellence award for PCO from Susan Paarlberg (left), AFA executive director, Kenneth Lowder (center left), Au.D., AFA chair, and Deborah Price (center right), Au.D., AFA vice chair.
