Students Preparing for Academic and Research Careers (SPARC) Award Recipients

It allows students to prepare for successful PhD education and exciting careers in research and teaching. The SPARC Award gives students an opportunity to participate in teaching and research with guidance from a mentor and travel to enhance teaching and research exposure. The SPARC has been awarded since 2004.

2024 Recipients

Julia Marie Albesa, Miami University
Primary Mentor: Amber Franklin, Miami University

Jannabel Ameen, Florida International University
Primary Mentor: Alliete Alfano, Florida International University

Michelle Catão, Duquesne University
Primary Mentor: Abigail Delehanty, Duquesne University

Rocio E. Escobar, California State University, East Bay
Primary Mentor: Elena Dukhovny, California State University, East Bay

Zabia Evans, Old Dominion University
Primary Mentor: Stacie Raymer, Old Dominion University

Alyssa Hall, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire
Primary Mentor: Jerry Hoepner, University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire

Aethiopia Joseph Salmon, Howard University
Primary Mentor: Alaina Davis, Howard University

Susan Lee, California State University, Los Angeles
Primary Mentor: Erica Ellis, California State University, Los Angeles

Rebecca Pechmann, Western Carolina University
Primary Mentor: Mary Claire Wofford, Western Carolina University

Gianna Ramirez, George Washington University
Primary Mentor: Cynthia Core, George Washington University

Anna Thanasi, Temple University
Primary Mentor: Jing Shen, Temple University

Netanya Tsang, Long Island University–Post
Primary Mentor: Gabriella Reynolds, Long Island University–Post

Shiao (Shannon) Xu, University of Washington
Primary Mentor: Sara Kover, University of Washington

Previous Recipients

2023

Kendra Ames, A.T. Still University
Stephanie Fazio, Misericordia University
Sandra Irvin, University of South Carolina
Sean Kashiwagura, The University of Texas at Dallas
Julia Kerrigan, University of Iowa
Marcela Paz Lara, New York University
Vivian Le, The University of Texas at Dallas
Muna Musse, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Vianca A. Ocampo, Northern Illinois University
Lauren Riggleman, University of South Carolina, Columbia
Lisa Rodriguez, California State University, Fullerton
Loriel Roman, San Francisco State University
Hailey Spencer, University of Cincinnati

2022

Haley E. Bouchard, University of Washington
Jessyca Campos, New York University
Joyce Chung, New York University
Danielle Hu, California State University, East Bay
Alyssa LaBine, Arizona State University
Cassandra Lopez, Indiana University–Bloomington
Maryvi Morales, San Francisco State University
Aivy Nguyen, University of Washington
Courtney Segool Wambach, Towson University
Mary Vang, Oklahoma State University
Jenna Maree Wong, California State University, Fullerton
Ivy Yen, New York University

2021

Meghan Baer, Emerson College
Victoria Bhardwaj, James Madison University
Melissa Bruce, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Emily Fisher, University of South Carolina–Columbia
Haley Hayashi, California State University, East Bay
Erin Hernon, James Madison University
Sarah Jones, University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Allison Leslie, Marquette University
Darchayla Lewis, Hampton University
Gabrielle Monge, New York Medical College
Kendra Peffers, Michigan State University
Matthew Phillips, University of Connecticut
Favio Saabedra, Marquette University
Cassandra Stall, University of Cincinnati

SPARC 2021 awardees accomplished the following select presentations and publications as a result of their SPARC participation.

Conference and Lecture Presentations

Baer, M., Worth, B. F., Cola, M., Knox, A., Covello, M., Kommareddi, R., Russell, A., Pelella, M. R., Schultz, R., Parish-Morris, J., & Grossman, R. B. (2023). First impressions and gender expression. Evidence of a double penalty for autistic women [Poster presentation]. Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Bhardwaj, V., Clinard, E., & Nottingham, E. (2022, November 17–19). Factors influencing confidence with feeding and swallowing in early intervention: A pilot study [Poster presentation]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Bruce, M., & Channell, M. M. (2022, November 17–19). Mental state language use in narrative storytelling across the preschool years [Poster presentation]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Fisher, E.G., Ehrhorn, A.E., & Adlof, S.M. (2022, November 17–19). Measuring orthographic influences on phonological processing in beginning readers: An eyetracking study [Technical Research Talk]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Hayashi, H., Gravier, M., & Bernstein-Ellis, E. (2022, June 22–24). US SLP perspectives on supporting the psychosocial health of individuals with aphasia [Poster presentation]. International Aphasia Rehabilitation Conference, Philadelphia, PA, United States.

Mois, G., Jones, S., Lydon, E., & Mudar, R.A. (2022, June 9–11). Understanding the role of technology resources based intervention to support care partners of older adults living with dementia [Conference presentation]. Global Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International, London, United Kingdom.

Monge, G. (2021, October 18). Principles of motor learning [Lecture]. New York Medical College.

Peffers, K., Johnson, J., Walsh, B., Ingersoll, B., & Venker, C. (2022, November 17–19). Parent perspectives regarding simplified language input: A qualitative interview study. [Poster presentation]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA, United States. 

Phillips, M. C., & Myers, E. B. (2022, November 17–19). Auditory processing of speech and non-speech in people who stutter [Poster presentation]. 63rd Annual Meeting of the Psychonomic Society, Boston, MA, United States. https://mattcphillipsnet.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/thesis-psychonomics-final.pdf

Phillips, M. C. & Myers, E. B. (2021, November 18–20). The relationship between specific musical experience and non-native speech sound learning [Poster presentation]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Washington, DC, United States. https://mattcphillipsnet.files.wordpress.com/2021/12/phillips-asha-poster.pdf

Saabedra, F., & Dalton, S. (2022, November 17–19). Advancing assessment for Spanish/English bilingual individuals with aphasia [Poster session]. Annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, New Orleans, LA, United States.

Stall, C., & Rampe, B. (2022, May). AAC implementation with bilingual persons with aphasia. Meeting of the Minds. Cincinnati, OH, United States.

Publications

Fisher, E.G. (2022). Measuring orthographic influences on phonological processing in beginning readers: An eyetracking study (Publication No. 6891). [Master’s thesis, University of South Carolina]. Scholar Commons. 

Hayashi, H., Gravier, M., Gustavson, K., & Bernstein-Ellis, E. (2023). Perspectives of U.S. speech-language pathologists on supporting the psychosocial health of individuals with aphasia. Journal of Communication Science Disorders, 105(5), 106365.