Families and friends of the Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) department were able to experience a glimpse into the life of a CSD student during Family Day 2017.

On the morning of Saturday, November 4th, the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) hosted Family Day, which occurs during ISU’s Family Weekend. Each year, CSD professors and clinical educators offer their knowledge on specific topics to guests attending Family Day. In groups of approximately fifty, families and friends were guided through classrooms in Fairchild Hall to learn about an assortment of subjects on speech-language pathology and audiology.

Not only were the presentations enlightening and compelling for the guests of Family Day, but also for the students of the CSD department. Macy Pohlman, a junior at Illinois State University, was able to join the department for the third year in a row with her family. When asked what her Family Day experience was like, Macy stated that her experience, “…was amazing. It is always nice to have my two worlds mix- family and school. I always like introducing my family to my friends and professors.”

Also during the day, hearing screenings, speech and noise testing, and clinic tours were provided by graduate students and the Student Academy of Audiology. These were available throughout the three different, twenty-minute sessions. Kara Sachtleben, a senior in the program, joined her family in a detailed hearing screening. Having never done this before, the screening was a new experience for the Sachtleben’s. Kara stated that, “…doing the hearing screening with my family in my own department was something I never expected to participate in. It was a great experience being able to try something new with my peers and family at the same time.”

The NSSLHA executive board would like to thank everyone who made this day possible including: Kimberly Adelman, Julie Burns, Dr. Jennifer Friberg, Dr. Heidi Harbers, Dr. Jennine Harvey, Dr. Antony Joseph, Tricia Larkin, Jacqueline McClure, Dr. Candice Osenga, Dr. Taeok Park, and Heidi Verticchio.