William F. Austin, Starkey CEO, said, "We are proud to offer assistance to these exceptional students, who are future leaders in hearing healthcare. They have demonstrated outstanding dedication, hard work and commitment in pursuit of their goals. Through our support, we hope to strengthen our industry while we recognize their impressive efforts."
The selection committee reviewed more than 100 applications for the 2005 scholarship. Eligibility requirements included current enrollment in or acceptance to an accredited graduate M.A., M.S., Au.D., or Ph.D. program in audiology. Applicants were also asked to submit a letter outlining their reasons for pursuing graduate study in audiology, a description of their course of study and future post-graduate goals.
The 2005 award winners are:
Rebecca Benjamin, Lafayette, IndianaThe William F. Austin Scholarship is part of the Starkey First educational outreach program. Starkey First offers both audiology students and hearing care professionals unprecedented learning opportunities focusing on a variety of topics, including business and practice management, marketing, patient care and product training.
Rebecca Benjamin plans to work with pediatric patients in a rural hospital setting when she finishes her Au.D. degree at Purdue University in 2007. A summa cum laude graduate of the University of South Dakota, Benjamin has maintained her straight-A average throughout her graduate program. She is well on her way to achieving her goal, with experience in pediatric audiological assessment at St. Vincent Hospital of Indianapolis, Purdue's Audiology Clinic and at a private practice. In addition, Benjamin has been recognized by professionals in both the academic and practice communities for her abilities as a researcher, as a clinician and especially as a person who can reach and treat patients with excellence.
Lauren Calandruccio, Syracuse, New York
Lauren Calandruccio earned her B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences and an M.A. in Audiology from Indiana University. She is currently a Ph.D. student in Audiology at Syracuse University. Peer-reviewed journals have published three articles to which she contributed, and she has extensive research, presentation and teaching experience. With a goal to perform research as a faculty member in an academic setting, Calandruccio says, "I am most interested in investigating the listening strategies used by individuals with hearing loss to perceive various speech stimuli at high frequencies." She has been recognized for academic and clinical excellence by several organizations, including the National Institute of Health.
Tiffany Lynn Harvey, White Marsh, Virginia
Tiffany Lynn Harvey is currently pursuing her Au.D. at Galludet University. Her career path will take her into either clinical practice or audiological research. Harvey is a member of the National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA), the American Academy of Audiology (AAA), the International Society of Audiology (ISA), the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) and Deafness, Education and Awareness for Students (DEAFS). "I want to be a culturally sensitive, knowledgeable and effective audiologist who can make a difference in the lives of individuals," says Harvey. The recipient of several scholarships and numerous academic honors, she is currently pursuing independent research on the use of minimal contact technology earmolds with BTE instruments for patients with profound hearing loss.
Victoria Lee, Evanston, Illinois
With a B.S. degree from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Victoria Lee is currently an Au.D. student at Northwestern University. She has done extensive research in the health sciences and has been recognized for excellence in academic, professional and civic circles. She is one of only 25 women selected to participate in Canada's Women in Engineering and Science program. According to Lee, she decided to become an audiologist because "I can make a direct contribution to a patient's quality of life through diverse approaches, ranging from technological to counseling strategies." She is especially interested in working with patient populations that are difficult to test. Lee is a founding member of Northwestern University's NAFDA chapter.
Amber Reith, Auburn, Alabama
Amber Reith recently earned a national grant for working with the Special Olympics to develop a hearing follow-up and intervention program within their Healthy Athletes initiative. She is studying for her Au.D. at Auburn University, having received her B.S. in Communication Disorders from Appalachian State University. Reith's clinical and research efforts are focused on a future in pediatric audiology. "I am enthusiastic about Audiology as a growing and evolving medical profession that will require lifelong learning," says Reith. Her next two years of study will be in hospital settings, and her plan is to find a hospital or ENT practice in which to build her skills before opening her own practice.
About Starkey Laboratories
Headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, Starkey Laboratories, Inc. is a worldwide provider of comprehensive digital hearing systems, including custom and standard devices, protection products, instrumentation and unique business solutions. Founded in 1967, Starkey owns the Audibel, Micro-Tech, NuEar, Omni and Qualitone companies and operates facilities in 24 countries. Starkey is the recognized world leader in the design and development of innovative custom digital hearing instruments. For more information visit www.starkey.com
