William F. Austin Scholarship and Outstanding Student Clinician Awards Announced
Minneapolis, Sept. 10, 2009 - Starkey Laboratories, Inc., one of the world's leading hearing technology companies, is pleased to announce this year's recipients of the William F. Austin Scholarship and the Outstanding Student Clinician Awards. The winners were chosen from among nearly 100 national applicants to receive academic scholarships of up to $10,000.
"At Starkey, we believe that providing audiology students with the opportunity to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals is an important aspect of our future," said Sara Burdak, Director of Education and Training for Starkey. "It is truly wonderful to be able to support some of the best and brightest in audiology."
Starkey is dedicated to professional advancement through education. Its William F. Austin Scholarship recognizes outstanding audiology graduate students pursuing clinical, teaching and research careers in audiology. This year's scholarship recipients are Alison Brockmeyer, Washington University School of Medicine;Ann Marie DePierro, Montclair State University;Rachel Giacontiere, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center;Katherine Gibbons, University of Florida;and Kara Schvartz, University of Maryland.
Starkey also provides 10 Outstanding Student Clinician scholarships to students pursuing careers in clinical audiology and private practice. This year's recipients are Chris Araj, Towson University;Kayla Cerar, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point;Luke Emberlin, Arizona State University;Matthew Gould, University of Florida;Angie Jaboin, Long Island Au.D. Consortium connected with Adelphi University;Hilleary Parker, University of Maryland;Mark Shaver, Wichita State University;Raina Stromberg, Kent State University;Christie Sylvia, Nova Southeastern University;and Tamara Waybright, University of Akron, Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium.
The William F. Austin and the Outstanding Student Clinician scholarships are awarded through Starkey University, a comprehensive educational outreach program that offers hearing care professionals and audiology students unique learning opportunities that focus on a variety of relevant, hands-on curricula. To learn more about Starkey University and the scholarship programs, visit www.starkeypro.com.
2009 William F. Austin Scholarship Recipient Bios
Alison Brockmeyer
Alison Brockmeyer is a fourth year Au.D. student at the Washington University School of Medicine. She will be doing her externship in a hospital-based audiology department, where she hopes to further her knowledge in troubleshooting hearing aids and cochlear implants, which have become special areas of interest. Alison presented and hopes to publish her capstone project, which examined the signal processing options that are available to improve speech recognition in noise for cochlear implant patients. Following graduation next spring, she plans to pursue a career in clinical audiology and hopes to continue her research through a Ph.D. program. She is also involved in the community through the National Association for Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA) and the American Academy of Audiology (AAA).
Ann Marie DePierro
A fourth year Sc.D. student on the research track of the audiology program at Montclair State University, Ann Marie DePierro has been dispensing hearing aids for the past eight years and has clinical experience in hospital settings, which has allowed her to work with many different populations. Her research has involved electrophysiologic studies on binaural processing of complex stimuli in young, middle-aged and older listeners with normal hearing and hearing impairment. Currently, her research is focusing on the pathways of the auditory system in middle-aged adults. Ann Marie has been very involved with the Hearing Loss Association of America's local chapter and local outreach programs sponsored by Montclair State University. After graduation, she is interested in both clinical and research opportunities.
Rachel Giacontiere
Rachel Giacontiere is a third year Au.D. student at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. Her passion is pediatric audiology. She has focused much of her research and clinical work on that aspect of the field and plans to work with pediatric patients in a hospital setting after graduation. She is also very interested in working with disadvantaged families to provide the services they need to help their children thrive. In addition to her clinical experience, Rachel has volunteered for the Woman's New Life Center, Children's Hospital Speech and Hearing Clinic and the Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She is also a member of NAFDA, the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and the Louisiana Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
Katherine Gibbons
A third year Au.D. student at the University of Florida, Katherine Gibbons is passionate about helping people around the world, which she has focused into her audiology studies. She spent nine months living in Sudan, Africa, where she was inspired to help those in need. After graduation, she plans to practice audiology in a hospital setting and would like to make use of those skills around the world. She has received clinical experience in her program and has volunteered to perform hearing screenings in Mexico. In addition, she is a member of the Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) and the International Society of Audiology.
Kara Schvartz
Kara Schvartz is in her last year of the Au.D./Ph.D. program at the University of Maryland. She has conducted research, which has been presented at international conferences, in addition to being published in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America. She found a passion for audiology when her grandmother was suffering from severe to profound hearing loss. Her clinical experience has covered a range of prestigious facilities including Johns Hopkins Hospital and the National Institutes of Health. She has also been involved in community organizations including The Elms Assisted Living, ATCO Adult Work-Training Center and more. After graduation, Kara plans to serve as a post doctorate clinical research associate and hopes to pursue a career as a clinician and researcher with a focus on auditory rehabilitation in the geriatric population.
2009 Outstanding Student Clinician Recipient Bios
Chris Araj
Chris Araj is a third year Au.D. student at Towson University in Maryland. His educational opportunities have allowed him to connect with a number of populations in settings including the Kennedy Krieger Institute in affiliation with John Hopkins University. Outside of the clinic, he has served at chapter president of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and is a member of the National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA). Additionally, he participated in a study abroad program in audiology and aural rehabilitation in the United Kingdom. He is especially interested in vestibular disorders and plans to specialize in that area of audiology upon completion of his degree.
Kayla Cerar
A third year Au.D. student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Kayla Cerar has clinical, educational and ENT office experience through her university program. She is involved in the audiology community as a student member of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), NAFDA, National Hearing Conservation Association and NSSLHA. She has also volunteered with UNITED Migrant Opportunity Services doing screenings and for the Wisconsin Speech and Hearing Association Convention.
Luke Emberlin
Luke Emberlin is a second year Au.D. student at Arizona State University, and sees audiology as more than a career goal. Since early childhood, Luke has lived with severe to profound binaural sensorineural hearing loss, which makes the content he is learning in his Au.D. program that much more valuable. He is spending his first clinical rotation in an ENT office and has a variety of interests after he graduates from the development of hearing instruments to practicing in a clinical setting. He has been a member of the American Auditory Society, NSSLHA, NAFDA and the Alexander Graham Bell Association.
Matthew Gould
Matthew Gould is a fourth year Au.D. student at the University of Florida and is doing his externship in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was inspired to explore the field of audiology by his grandfather, who was profoundly hearing impaired. During clinical rotations in various settings, Matthew found his niche in amplification for the geriatric population and hopes to continue on that track after graduation in a private practice. He has been involved as a member and volunteer in a number of professional organizations including the Academy of Doctors in Audiology, AAA and NAFDA.
Angie Jaboin
A second year student in the Long Island Au.D. Consortium connected with Adelphi University, Angie Jaboin found her passion for audiology in her Haitian community. Research into a small cousin's ear infections and how those affected his ability to read, led her to a cultural discovery - that only the wealthy in Haiti intervened to help children with language and speech delays since it cost money to address those issues. She is looking at a variety of options for after she graduates including building a group practice that incorporates different disciplines, conducting health missions in developing countries and providing supervision to audiology students.
Hilleary Parker
Hilleary Parker is a third year Au.D. student at the University of Maryland, College Park. With three generations of deafness in her family tree and problematic ears during childhood, audiology was a logical career path. Her clinical experience includes every age level. She is currently interning at the National Naval Medical Center and volunteers to teach Progressive Audiologic Tinnitus Management courses to assist active duty soldiers and veterans with tinnitus management. She is also serving as vice president for the University of Maryland's Student Academy of Audiology (SAA) chapter and is a member of NSSLHA and AAA. Her goal after graduation is to work full-time as a military audiologist.
Mark Shaver
Mark Shaver is pursing a Ph.D. in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Wichita State University. He has both clinical and research experience in a variety of populations from children to veterans and older adults. His research has focused on middle ear dysfunction and spontaneous otoacoustic emissions. He plans to pursue both clinical and research paths after graduation as well. Mark has conducted a number of peer-reviewed presentations and is a member of the AAA, American Auditory Society, Acoustical Society of America, International Society of Audiology and NSSLHA.
Raina Stromberg
A third year student in the NOAC program through Kent State University, Raina Stromberg is motivated by helping people hear their very best. She has experience with a variety of populations through her clinical educational opportunities. In addition, she is a member of NAFDA and the local SAA chapter. She plans to pursue a clinical route after graduation and is also interested in working with people in developing countries and potentially pursue a Ph.D. in audiology research.
Christie Sylvia
Christie Sylvia is a third year Au.D. student at Nova Southeastern University. Her educational experience includes clinical rotations in ENT offices, hospitals and clinics. Her goal is to own and operate a private practice in the future. Outside of the classroom, she is a member of the SAA, NAFDA and the Florida Academy of Audiology.
Tamara Waybright
A fourth year Au.D. student at University of Akron, Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium, Tamara Waybright is beginning her fourth year externship at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Her main interests in the field of audiology are vestibular diagnosis and treatment, electrophysiology and hearing aid dispensing. She plans to practice in a medial setting after graduation and eventually pursue a Ph.D. in audiology. She is a member of the SAA, the Ohio Academy of Audiology and NAFDA.
About Starkey®
Starkey Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held, global hearing technology company headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minn. The company is recognized for its innovative design, development and distribution of comprehensive digital hearing systems. Founded in 1967, Starkey employs over 3,500 people, operates 22 facilities and conducts business in over 100 markets worldwide. For more information, visit www.starkeypro.com or the Starkey Web Channel.
