Group of students who attended the conference.
Members of the Fredonia chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) attended a key convention.
Students including Hannah Belknap, Madison Winfield, Ashleigh Hellwig, Lindsey Olendorf, Natalie Marier, Emily Bradley, Kayla Becker, and Leila Ward represented Fredonia at the 2026 Pennsylvania Speech and Hearing Association (PSHA) Convention. For two days at the convention, held at the Kalahari Resort in the Poconos, the future speech-language pathologists (SLPs) immersed themselves in the work of clinical practice and research.
The convention offered a diverse array of sessions, allowing each student to tailor their experience to their specific clinical interests. The Fredonia cohort explored several high-impact topics that are currently shaping the field:
- FEES vs. VFSS: Students compared the clinical utility of Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) and Video Fluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS), deepening their understanding of diagnostic imaging for dysphagia.
- The Power of AAC: Sessions on Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) provided insights into how technology and communication boards can be adapted across various settings, from classrooms to medical facilities.
- Animals in Education: A unique session focused on students' perceptions of trained dogs in classrooms, highlighting the growing role of animal-assisted interventions in supporting learning and emotional regulation.
- Feeding Matters: Insights into pediatric feeding disorders gave the group a broader perspective on the multidisciplinary nature of feeding therapy.
The students noted that being able to attend sessions based on individual interests was invaluable, and allowed them to see the vast possibilities in their future as speech-language pathologists and how they can best serve our future clients.
With the help from OSCAR funding and group efforts, the students were able to attend the convention at an affordable rate. As the Fredonia NSSLHA chapter continues to grow, experiences like the PSHA Convention remain a cornerstone of their professional development, bridging the gap between student life and clinical excellence.
