USM Student Organization Receives National Recognition

Fri, 06/09/2023 - 09:15am | By: Van Arnold

The National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) Chapter at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) has been awarded Gold Chapter Honors for attaining a distinguished level of achievement in the areas of member recruitment and engagement, community outreach and service, legislative advocacy, and fundraising during the 2022-23 academic year.

The announcement was made by the parent organization, National NSSLHA, whose members are studying communication sciences and disorders (CSD), speech-language pathology and audiology at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels at college and universities nationwide.

“We are so proud of the 2022-23 Gold Chapter Honors awardees, and we congratulate them on all they’ve achieved this year,” said NSSLHA Executive Council President Gabrielle Howard. “Each chapter demonstrated a deep commitment to its members, its community, and the professions, and embodied NSSLHA’s values in the areas of collaboration, diversity, education, integrity, leadership and service,” she said.

Through its annual honors program, NSSLHA recognizes outstanding affiliated chapters that have made significant contributions to CSD programs, the national organization, and their local chapters. Chapter Honors are awarded at the bronze, silver, and gold levels.

During the 2022-23 academic year, the USM chapter of NSSLHA participated in 15 service projects for the community, university, and individuals with communication and hearing difficulties. National NSSLHA supports nearly 11,000 members and more than 350 chapters at colleges and universities nationwide.

The USM NSSLHA Chapter is one of only 93 in the U.S. and Puerto Rico to receive Gold Chapter Honors in 2023.

Efforts made by the NSSLHA Chapter at USM helped National NSSLHA: 

• Increase awareness of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) on more than 140 local college campuses and communities across the country as well as through virtual platforms
• Increase advocacy efforts by sending more than 5,400 letters to state and federal legislators 

• Provide scholarships to students in CSD programs by contributing more than $22,500 to the ASHFoundation’s NSSLHA Scholarship

• Support CSD-related organizations by donating $60,000 and more than 25,000 hours of chapter members’ time