Ten graduate students from Florida State University’s School of Communication Science & Disorders were awarded scholarships from the Dr. Avery Vaughn Fund for Excellence in Communication Science and Disorders, which funded their attendance at the Florida Laryngectomee Association Annual Meeting in Orlando, Fla., in September.

The scholarships honoring Dr. Vaughn were thanks to the generous donations of Dr. William Williams and Kandace Penner Williams.

The Florida Laryngectomee Association brings together laryngectomees and speech and language professionals to encourage and maintain the exchange of learning and teaching of alternative methods of communication.  A laryngectomee is a person who has undergone surgery to remove the larynx, or the voice box, during treatment for cancer or traumatic injuries in the area.

A total of 15 Florida State SCSD students, including the 10 scholarship winners, attended the conference.

Students enjoyed a one-of-a-kind experience at the conference as they met with laryngectomees and their family members and learned invaluable information about the challenges these patients face on a daily basis without a voice.  Students also networked with healthcare professionals, learned about the special needs of laryngectomees, and observed speech evaluation and therapy sessions.

Recipients of the Dr. Avery Vaughn Fund for Excellence in Communication Science and Disorders Scholarships in 2013 were:

Shawna Gaffney
Valerie Grafe
Jennifer Jewell
Anna Louchheim
Samantha Lupu
Mireille Magee
Kelsey Schutz
Lauren Sherry
Jenna Shearer
Danielle Slomins