Graduate Students Recognized at Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama Convention
Posted on March 21, 2024 by CAHP
Two graduate students from the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Robin Jacobs and Emma Lovelady, were recognized for their hard work and commitment to their professions at the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama 2024 convention.
Jacobs, a speech-language pathology student from Saraland, Alabama, received a Graduate Student Recognition Award. Each year, graduate student award recipients are nominated by the faculty from within their respective programs.
Multiple faculty members describe Jacobs as an individual who embodies leadership, exhibits kindness and demonstrates adaptability with an infectious zest for learning and connecting to others.
Jacobs also competed with a few of her peers in the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama 2024 convention’s Quest for the Cup, an intercollegiate knowledge bowl, and they won. It was the highlight of their trip and revealed to the group how much they have learned and grown since they entered the program.
Jacobs spent much of her life dreaming of being a teacher, but one day her dad mentioned a career in speech therapy. After doing some research, she discovered speech-language pathology was a better path for her, mixing her passions for teaching and caring for others.
Jacobs entered USA’s speech-language pathology master’s program with a bachelor’s degree in communications disorders and a minor in biology. In May 2024, she will graduate with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology and plans to work with pediatric patients.
The faculty in the speech-language pathology program have greatly impacted Jacobs and her classmates through their support and kindness. With a smile, she shared how they make them feel seen and heard as people first and as graduate students second.
“If you’re looking for faculty who truly care about you and want you to receive the best education possible, this is the place for you,” Jacobs said.
Lovelady, an audiology student from Birmingham, Alabama, received a Memorial Scholarship of $500. Finding audiology scholarships is not always easy, so when she found the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama’s scholarship application, she decided to take a chance.
In her application, Lovelady shared her passion for the treatment and care of the vestibular system. She hopes to one day work closely with veterans at the Mobile VA Clinic. Her grandfather was a veteran, and as she has gotten older, she has developed a greater appreciation for those who have served in the armed forces of the United States.
She also completed a bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing sciences at South Alabama and chose the University because of its variety of healthcare programs. Throughout her time in the Covey College of Allied Health Professions, Lovelady has received endless support from faculty and staff in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology and appreciates the amazing equipment she has had access to during her time in the program.
“I have never felt more welcomed and at home. The faculty and staff care about everybody and they want you to succeed,” Lovelady said.