By Will Bower

Katie Kingsbury and Ashley Schultheis, Au.D. students in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, are serving two-year terms on the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) executive council.  

Kingsbury serves as the vice president of programming for audiology. She said her responsibilities largely consist of hosting and moderating monthly National NSSLHA events. 

“I applied specifically for the VP of Programming for Audiology because I love interacting with students and helping to plan and execute the many different student events that National NSSLHA hosts,” Kingsbury said. 

In addition to her position on the executive council, Kingsbury serves as the student liaison to the council for clinical certification. She said she provides a student voice in conversations about changes to clinical education. 

“They often ask us how changes made to the certification standards might impact what we are currently experiencing in our programs,” Kingsbury said. 

As an opportunity to work towards her professional goals, Kingsbury said involvement in National NSSLHA has been beneficial in several ways. 

“National NSSLHA has helped me develop my networking skills and introduced me to so many professionals that I have turned to when seeking career advice,” Kingsbury said. 

Schultheis serves as the vice president for student state officers (SSO) in the central region. She said she works with 16 SSOs across the region and acts as a link between them and the executive council. 

“A big part of my role is making sure SSOs are well-informed about National NSSLHA initiatives so they can bring that information back to their state chapters,” Schultheis said. 

Schultheis also represents NSSLHA on the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) board of special interest group coordinators. The board will meet in Washington, D.C. during ASHA’s centennial convention, where Schultheis will provide updates on the work of National NSSLHA. 

“I’m excited to contribute to the discussions, learn from experienced professionals, and ensure that the student voice is part of the conversation,” Schultheis said. 

One of Schultheis’s goals for her term is to increase student involvement in National NSSLHA. 

“There are so many valuable opportunities—like scholarships, awards, recognitions, and networking—that I wish I had known about earlier in my academic career,” Schultheis said. “I want to make sure students have access to those resources and feel supported throughout their journey.”