June 4, 2007
Sonus, Plymouth Minn, (www.sonus.com) has granted scholarships to eight third- and fourth-year doctoral students in audiology for the 2007-08 academic year. The winners are the first group of students to receive $2,500 each through the Sonus College Scholarship Program, launched this spring.
The first class of scholarship recipients include the following:
Cassandra Billiet will begin her fourth year of studies at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion this fall. Originally from Ortonville, Minn, Billiet is interested in pediatric audiology and is completing a research study investigating the relationship between abnormal brainstem timing and central auditory processing in children diagnosed with reading disorders.
Shelley Duncan, a native of Aurora, Ohio, and a fourth-year audiology student at the University of Akron. Duncan has presented at the Ohio Audiology Conference and is active with the National Association of Future Doctors of Audiology (NAFDA).
Gretchen Magee, an incoming fourth-year student at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in Oklahoma City. Magee, from Uniontown, Kan, belongs to the Allied Health Student Association, NAFDA, the Mayflower Medical Outreach Program and Phi Kappa Phi, and she has been named to the dean’s list.
Beth Mayes will begin her fourth year of studies at Missouri State University in Springfield this fall. Originally from Elsberry, Mo., Mayes has maintained a 4.0 grade-point average while serving as vice president of her school’s NAFDA chapter. She will begin an externship at the Arkansas Otolaryngology Center in Little Rock in June.
Megan Mulvey, a native of Joliet, Ill., and a fourth-year audiology student at Rush University in Chicago. Mulvey has served as president of her university’s NAFDA chapter and was nominated for the Outstanding AuD student award at rush.
George Panayiotou, an incoming third-year student at East Tennessee State University in Johnson City. Panayiotou is originally from Cyprus and is now vice president of the NAFDA chapter at East Tennessee State.
Linsey Wagner, of Universal City, Texas, will begin her fourth year of studies at the University of Texas at Dallas this fall. Wagner has presented at the International Cochlear Implantation in Children Symposium and will begin an externship in July at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.
Kara Wright, a fourth-year student at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Va. Originally from Chambersburg, Penn, Wright has served as the national director of education and scientific affairs for NAFDA and is also active in Special Olympics.
“Sonus is pleased to award scholarships to these very deserving students who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and initiative,” says Michele Fusco, senior vice president of professional development at Amplifon USA, the parent company of Sonus. “Supporting prospective audiologists is one of the many ways that Sonus strengthens professional development across the profession and ensures a bright future for our industry.”
Scholarship recipients were selected on the basis of academic record, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, work experience, statement of goals and aspirations, unusual personal or family circumstances, and an outside appraisal. The awards were administered in partnership with Scholarship America.
Learn more about Sonus online at www.sonus.com
Source: Sonus