Three students have been selected for the 2021 CCI Student Leadership Awards. Sara Collins, Laura-Kate Huse, and Shannon Williams have all been selected based on their outstanding contributions to the University. Honorees will be honored at the Scholars and Stars Donor Engagement Virtual Event on November 16th, 2021. Keep reading to learn more about honoree Sara Collins.
Sara Collins – School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
Sara Collins is a doctoral student in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders. During her undergraduate career, she served as the Treasurer for the Student Academy of Audiology, Secretary of the American Sign Language Club on the founding board. She was also a Garnet and Gold Scholar and Seminole Torchbearer. In addition to her graduate studies, she has served as a graduate fellow on the Language and Literacy Grant and the Students with Disabilities Advocate on the Congress of Graduate Students. She currently serves as Internal Affairs Chairperson and Deputy Speaker of Communications on the Congress of Graduate Students. Externally, she is a speech-language pathologist who prioritizes support for both teachers and students in exceptional student education classrooms. Collins told CCI, “In holding several leadership roles during my time at FSU, I have the privilege of continuing to learn from others. Interdisciplinary conversations will affect my own work in executing implementation science, which is based on the foundation that all relevant stakeholders impacted by the research should be involved in its utilization within naturalistic settings. Within my roles, I have learned that it is essential to empower others to become leaders of educational change and inclusivity.”
After she completes her PhD, Collins plans to complete a post-doctorate at an R1 university. She hopes to to learn how to establish a lab and apply for funding opportunities in order to best support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their access to instruction, in addition to exploring factors that influence interdisciplinary relationships amongst teachers and speech-language pathologists in school-based settings.
“With this scholarship award, supporting teachers and their collaborative relationships with speech language pathologists feels possible during this unprecedented time,” said Collins, “I’ve opted to use these funds to support a small research study, in which a colleague and I will interview early childhood center providers and early intervention providers about their perspectives in forming valued partnerships in order to support young children receiving early intervention services.”