By Will Bower
Ruth Bentler (PhD ‘87) has a history at the University of Iowa. Beginning as an undergraduate in 1967, she earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). She joined the faculty in 1987 and led the program between 2011 and 2017.
Bentler will return to CSD on April 17 for the 2025-26 Distinguished Alumni lecture, titled “My ‘Distinguished’ Career.” Her expertise in hearing aid technology and adult aural rehabilitation has made her a renowned authority in the field throughout her 40-year career.
Learn more about Ruth and her CSD story in this Q&A.
What made Iowa the right choice for you?
I didn’t have the luxury of choice in 1967! I had 8 siblings — I was third oldest — and the cost of education was mine to bear. My oldest sister went to Iowa, and it was a mere hour from home, so it was a given that I attended a public university that was nearby.
What was the program like during your time as a student?
I was a student from 1967–68, 1970–71, and again 1984–1987, and the program was quite different for each period. The earliest period — as an undergraduate — was spent “on the other side of the river” with a designated math major. I knew no one in the department and floundered a bit with the new environment. After some disillusionment and a year in Hawaii and California, I returned in 1970 to finish my undergraduate degree. At that time, the university required that I have a declared major (imagine!) and my sister suggested speech pathology because she had enjoyed the introductory course in her education coursework. I liked the hearing part of it and ultimately applied to the audiology graduate program, not as a first choice but because I was now married, and my husband was in school at Iowa. Despite my inauspicious start, I received a Maternal and Child Health stipend to stay! So, my perception of the program was that the best teachers and the smartest students were there, and I needed to prove I belonged!
What attracted you to aural rehab and hearing aid technology?
After five years as a clinical audiologist in a medical setting, Julia Davis — then chair — invited me to come back to the department and be a part-time clinical supervisor. Since I had my first child by then, I jumped at the chance. My mentor was David Hawkins, fresh out of Northwestern’s PhD program. His passion for hearing aids and adult rehab motivated me to study again, thus the eventual PhD.
What does it mean to you to deliver this lecture as both an alumna and a longtime faculty member?
I am thrilled to come back with the designation of distinguished! At the same time, it is both humbling and a bit intimidating! I don’t even know where the auditorium is!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Mine was the best career one could ask for, not because I had a solid goal that I strove to achieve, but because numerous opportunities were presented, and I kept veering toward them. My dad used to say to keep your head down, work hard, and good things will come. I guess this is one of those.