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SLHS Newsletter - Summer 2025

Welcome to Fall Semester!

Summer 2025 was filled with inspiring events, exciting research, student successes, and meaningful collaborations. We’re excited to share highlights from our department as we continue our work in teaching, research, and service in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, and to celebrate our community’s milestones, welcome new faces, and recognize the many accomplishments of the season.

New Faces

We recently added two new staff members:

  • Gabrielle Reimer – Manager of Finance and Business Operations.
  • Brenda Baker – Academic Program Coordinator.

Building Updates

  • Our new classroom, SLHS C230, is now open—renovated with updated, easy-to-operate audio/visual systems and designed to be a comfortable, clean learning space.
  • On the second floor, we replaced the drinking fountain with a water bottle filler. To comply with ADA regulations, we installed a new wall and relocated a locker. Work will be completed in the next couple of weeks.

Faculty and Student Highlights

  • Congratulations to Audra McCorkle, who has been named ASL Director in recognition of her leadership and expertise.
  • Don Bell-Souder successfully defended his dissertation, Electrically-evoked cortical auditory potentials: Validity, efficacy, and perception in cochlear implanted adults, on July 1, 2025. His mentor was Dr. Anu Sharma. We congratulate Dr. Bell-Souder on this outstanding achievement!
  • Warm congratulations to Dr. Allison Hilger and her family on welcoming their baby in April 2025!

Scholarships

  • Marilyn K. Johnson Scholarship: Anna Edmundson and Natalie Sesselmann.
  • Frank Morris Speech and Language Pathology Scholarship: Makayla Sileo and Kaprianna Morris-Lopez.
  • Colorado Diversity Initiative Fellowship: Alyssa Baca.
  • Dwight A. Hamilton Scottish Rite Foundation Graduate Scholarships: Sara Kurutz, Sophia Wonneberger, and Sarah Booth.

SLHS Graduate Students

This fall, SLHS welcomes 33 new graduate students:

  • 20 MA-SLP students.
  • 4 MA-SLP leveling students.
  • 6 AuD students.
  • 2 PhD students (Richy Hayes and Sarah Conrad).

We’re thrilled to share an overview of the exciting work happening across SLHS this summer—from new funding and publications to student achievements and community engagement. These highlights show the depth of our department’s impact in teaching, research, and service.

Research Presentations & Publications

  • Our recent MA-SLP graduate Caitlin Cain and Dr. Allison Hilger, along with Drew Mancini, published “Differential diagnostic patterns of acquired motor speech disorders in children: A preliminary investigation of four case studies” in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Drew Mancini is an SLP at Children’s Hospital and a PhD student at CU Anschutz. He is teaching SLHS 5292 Motor Speech Disorder in the fall.
  • MA-SLP graduates Melanie Esver and Caitlin Cloud, with Dr. Allison Hilger and Dr. Christine Brennan, published “Revisiting the cerebellum’s linguistic role: Evidence for cerebellar involvement in expressive syntax” in Springer Nature in July 2025. DOI: .
  • Former MA student Avery K. Allen, mentored by Dr. Christine Brennan, with co-authors Christina Riseman and Dr. Allison Hilger, published “Harnessing AI for aphasia: A case report on ChatGPT’s role in supporting written expression” in Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences on May 30, 2025. DOI: .
  • Recent MA-SLP graduate Collin Eagen’s thesis, The impacts of testosterone therapy beyond fundamental frequency in transmasculine voice: Vocal quality and fricative articulation, was accepted for publication in the Journal of Voice in July 2025. DOI: Collin defended his thesis in spring 2024 under the mentorship of Dr. Christine Brennan, Dr. Allison Hilger, and Jen Walentas Lewon. He also presented the results of his study at the 2024 ASHA convention.
  • A paper based on the senior honors thesis of Emily Heneman Lee, mentored by Dr. Christine Brennan, was published in the Asian-Pacific Journal of Second and Foreign Language Education in September 2025. The article is titled “Differential benefits of syllable versus grapheme instruction for English-speaking adults learning to read words in Hangul.” DOI: .
  • PhD student Richy Hayes and Dr. Pui Fong Kan published “The semantic depth of Japanese-English bilingual children” in Frontiers in Language Science. DOI: .
  • MA-SLP student Natalie Sesselmann and PhD student Richy Hayes, mentored by Dr. Pui Fong Kan, presented their research “Examining Microstructure and Macrostructure Elements in Narratives of Japanese-English Bilingual Children,” at the International Symposium on Bilingualism in San Sebastián, Spain.
  • PhD student Richy Hayes, mentored by Dr. Pui Fong Kan, also presented their poster “The Semantic Depth of Japanese-English Bilingual Children” at the International Symposium on Bilingualism Conference.
  • Richy Hayes, mentored by Dr. Pui Fong Kan, presented his work, The Contribution of Semantic Depth and Language Input to Narrative Macrostructure in Japanese-English Bilingual Children at the Harmonious Bilingualism Network (HaBilNet) in San Sebastián, Spain, in June 2025.
  • Don Bell-Souder, with co-authors Chen Chen, Anthony Spahr, and Dr. Anu Sharma, presented “Stimulating and recording cortical potentials via cochlear implant” at the International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Biennial 29th Symposium in Boulder, CO, in June 2025. DOI:
  • Kayla Cormier, with co-authors Carly Schimmel, Vinaya Manchaiah, and Dr. Anu Sharma, presented “ at the International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Conference in Boulder, CO, in February 2025.
  • Carly Schimmel, with co-authors Kayla Cormier, Dr. Stephen Cass (Anschutz), and Dr. Anu Sharma, presented “Cortical evoked potentials in conductive and mixed hearing losses” at the International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group (IERASG) Conference in Boulder, CO, in June 2025.
  • Dr. Anu Sharma gave two invited presentations on cochlear implants and participated in a roundtable at the European Symposium on Pediatric Cochlear Implantation in Hannover, Germany, in July 2025.
  • Dr. Anu Sharma gave a keynote presentation, “The rewiring brain: Cross-modal plasticity in hearing loss,” virtually at the Developmental Psychology Section of the German Society of Psychology Conference in Giessen, Germany, on September 2, 2025.

Grants & Funding

  • Dr. Christine Brennan was awarded a $15,000 catalyst grant by the Division of Social Sciences for her project, Exploring language in Smith-Magenis syndrome: The SMS Radio Project.
  • Dr. Christine Brennan and collaborator Nancy R. Lee, PhD (Drexel University), were awarded a $4,000 grant by Parents and Researchers Interested in Smith-Magenis Syndrome (PRISMS) for their project, Vocational activities and their cognitive-behavioral correlates in adults with Smith-Magenis syndrome.
  • Sherri Tennant and Dr. Christine Brennan received $24,000 for their AAC outreach project, Empowering economically disadvantaged adolescents with complex communication needs. This is the sixth year of funding from the Office for Public and Community-Engaged Scholarship (PACES).
  • Dr. Allison Sedey presented a webinar sponsored by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, “Language outcomes of children who are deaf or hard of hearing – birth to 6 years of age: A review of the literature.” She also received contracts from CSDB and EHDI Colorado to document language outcomes of children birth–3 years.
  • PhD student Richy Hayes received funding from the Harmonious Bilingualism Network (HaBilNet) to attend a research symposium in San Sebastián, Spain, in June 2025.

Events & Workshops

  • This fall, the Child Learning Center (CLC) celebrated its 50th anniversary with alumni, families, faculty, staff, and friends. The celebration featured a special visit from founding director Elizabeth “Tikki” Heublein, heartfelt speeches reflecting on the center’s impact, and a slideshow highlighting five decades of memories. See the article, “Tucked in the heart of campus, CU Boulder's hidden gem turns 50.” Many thanks to LJ Werner, Liz Berube, Katie Miller, and the department volunteers for bringing this event to life.
  • ASL & Deaf Culture Workshops - Session 1: Audra McCorkle led training on clinically relevant signs, ASL gloss structure, and Deaf culture. Session 2: River Frank guided participants through storytelling, supporting Deaf children, and clinical considerations.
  • At the National Stuttering Association Conference on July 1, 2025, Ryan Pollard delivered an invited presentation, “IEP goal writing strategies,” in Denver.
  • SLHS hosted the International Evoked Response Audiometry Study Group Symposium (IERASG) in June. Graduate audiology students Evan Watt, Ana Sanchez, and Ann Ross volunteered. Evan assisted in a hands-on demo by renowned researcher Lisa Hunter and impressively achieved a perfect tympanometry seal on his first attempt.
  • Leadership AuD student Chloe Tierney visited Washington, D.C., as part of the SAA National Board, advocating for the Medicare Audiology Access Improvement Act.
  • Community Impact - Undergraduates William Randall, Kaleb Vardon, and Gemma Gallucci volunteered at the Denver Ataxia Walk n’ Roll, raising $10,000 for research.
  • Language Access - In June and July, graduate AuD students completed the Spanish Audiology Learning Community with Audiology en Español, strengthening bilingual service delivery. Facilitated by Alejandra Ullauri, this work expands access to high-quality audiology services for the Latino community.

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