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Welcome Evette Edmister - New Faculty Member

Evette Edmister, Ph.D., joined our faculty in fall semester of 2008. She occupies a "new" faculty position and her expertise is AAC, literacy, dynamic assessment, and universal design for learning. Evette earned her Ph.D. from Kansas University in 2006. She earned her Master of Education in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Georgia, and her B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders from Iowa State University. Her most recent employment prior to her appointment at UNI was as a speech-language pathologist where she worked on the Assistive Technology Team for the Des Moines Public Schools. Welcome Evette!

Angela Burda Receives Covenant Medical Center's 2007 Community Achievement Award

Angela Burda was presented with Covenant Medical Center's 2007 Community Achievement Award.  She was recognized for "going above and beyond" to educate area police departments about aphasia. Those presenting Dr. Burda with her award also highlighted the Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic as a valuable community resource.

Students and Dr. Bleile Travel to Nicaragua

In 2007 students and Dr. Ken Bleile spent a good portion of summer preparing for and then providing services to children with communication disorders in Nicaragua.  Dr. Bleile commented, "Nicaragua is a beautiful country of volcanoes, lakes, and widespread poverty surrounding small islands of great wealth.  It is the second poorest country in Latin America, second only to Haiti, and four hour electrical blackouts, armed guards, and emaciated animals are part of daily life.  We worked in the outskirts of Managua in a school and an orphanage for children with developmental disabilities— the country’s only orphanages and schools for such children.  Many children we assessed were from families that were impoverished even by Nicaraguan standards."

"The picture was taken at a school for children with developmental disabilities.  The occasion was a discussion and pizza party for staff and students.  Those in blue are school staff.  Next to them in the second row are students in special education, University of Managua.  The American students are from the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Iowa.  Not pictured are Carol Cook and students from the Department of Social Work, University of Northern Iowa.  Students from our department in the picture include Kelly Frerichs, Leigh Anne Howard, Hannah York, Jessa Patterson, Jenny Compton, Jessica Weiler, Sarah Allgood, Ashley Lyons, Kimberley Biller, Sarah McConnell, Lindsey Leacox, and Laura Gingrich. Two other students from our department participated in an earlier assessment treat to Nicaragua, Jenny Scharn Dideriksen and Kristen Kruse, as well as one former student, Lauren Ireland."

The following are some quotes from Dr. Bleile and students who made the trip:

“Nicaragua was a life changing experience.  The work, our Nicaraguan colleagues, the countryside... all were amazing.  It's almost impossible to understand how important speech-language pathology and audiology are until you see a country where the professions barely exist.  I can't wait to go back.” – Dr. Ken Bleile

“The most incredible experience of my life, is a pretty good synopsis. Amazing clinical experiences, the sightseeing was awesome (if you only went for the volcanoes, it was well worth the money). I think we all really felt like we were doing something to help these families who are at a loss of how to communicate with their children. Seeing up close how hard they have it makes me realize how lucky we are here, not only in the United States, but especially at UNI. I'd tell anyone who was even considering the thought to go and do it. You won't ever experience anything else like it for the rest of your life.” - Ashley Lyons

“Working with the children was a great learning experience. While long-term changes can't be accomplished in 3 weeks, it's exciting to be able to establish a lasting relationship with educators and therapists in Nicaragua. They were very excited to have us there and it was a great experience to learn from each other.” - Leigh Anne Howard

“It was such a good hands on experience. Eye opening and life learning. To be able to see it for yourself and apply what you've been taught was very rewarding. The people there taught me some interesting things about how they apply therapy, considering there are only 3 SLP's in the country.” - Jenny Compton

“Nicaragua was an amazing experience. Not only did we get to practice and learn more about our field; but, we also got to explore the country and get to know some of the cities. I will never forget some of the children we met, they will always hold a very special place in my heart.” - Kimberly Biller

Fall 2007 Update

Increased undergraduate enrollment. 
Since 2002, our undergraduate enrollment has increased considerably, consistent with national trends.  With our need for speech-language pathologists in the state and nationally, we welcome this increase. 

Undergraduate enrollment figures over the past 7 years.

Beloved CAC 212 expands by 1/3.  Our enrollment increases justified an expansion of CAC 212.  To create space for this remodeling job, we sold two IAC sound booths no longer needed for audiology programming and expanded the back wall of the classroom into the space thus created.  The expansion also incorporated a window which now enhances the classroom expansion.

Graduate enrollment maintains at 48.  While the applicant pool for our graduate program has increased recently, partly due to more students in undergraduate programs both here and elsewhere, our resources, particularly as they concern clinical supervision, keep burgeoning growth in the graduate program at bay.  Graduate enrollments are growing more slowly than undergraduate numbers largely because of this need.

A New Name for the Department

The Department of Communicative Disorders' name has been approved for change to the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. This reflects the national trend in the discipline and is consistent with departments in peer institutions throughout the United States. The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, at its March 2007 meeting accepted the official request. The change was effective immediately.

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