Incoming doctoral student in the School of Communication Science and Disorders (SCSD), Angelica Bernabe, has been awarded the Legacy Fellowship from Florida State University (FSU), with the support of her mentor, Dr. Christopher Constantino.

The Legacy Fellowship is a multi-year award for newly admitted doctoral or MFA students. It is guaranteed for five consecutive academic years for PhD students. Nomination is through the department or college, but the competition is on a university-wide basis.

Angelica struggled with a stutter throughout her childhood in Peru. Since stuttering therapy in developing countries is limited, she experienced bullying and discrimination. “I did not want others to go through the same experiences that I did, so I decided to study Psychology and Speech and Language Therapy,” Angelica said.

In her last year of Psychology in Peru, Angelica collaborated with a therapist to establish a stuttering center, Centro Especializado en Tartamudez (Specialized Center for Stuttering).

“Her clinic has become renowned throughout Latin America for its therapy services and educational opportunities for people who stutter and clinicians who work with them,” Constantino said.

It was through her commitment of bringing accessible research-supported practice to Peru, that she met Constantino. “By inviting professors from the courses I attended to contribute their insights, I sought to bridge the information gap for the Hispanic community,” Angelica said.

Long term, Angelica plans on working as a professor at a university level, teaching courses on stuttering and counseling, and directing a research laboratory focused on people experiencing a stutter.