School of Communication Sciences and Disorders
News and Events
Issue 25 | December 2025
Bridging Gaps in Hearing Healthcare: the Memphis SOUND Project
by: Kirstein Williams
Dr. Sarah Warren recently received the ASHA Grant for Projects on Multicultural Activities.
This new grant supports the first phase of a multi-year effort dedicated to understanding
the barriers that minoritized populations in Memphis experience as they try to access
hearing healthcare services.
Her long-term goal is to 'create a model that helps ensure hearing healthcare is accessible, trusted and culturally responsive for all.'
Learn more about how Dr. Warren's team is working with local faith-based organizations to achieve that goal.
SLP Clinicians Partner in National Re-Norming of Early Literacy and Language Assessment
by: Lacey Halley
MSHC clinical faculty and students have recently partnered with Ventris Learning to
collect re-norming data for their Assessment of Literacy and Language (ALL). The ALL
is designed to assess early language and literacy development in children from PK-1st
grade. Darlene Winters, an SLP clinical instructor, is leading the School's data collection
efforts.
Read on to learn more about this work and the role that students are playing in this project.
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Darlene Winters, SLP clinical instructor, works with a group of students and clients. She is the School's lead on the re-norming project. |
Professional Development: Building Clinicians from the Ground Up
by: Lauren Tra
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Jennifer Taylor developed and began offering a class
to support students' adjustment to graduate school. The course provides students with
a variety of resources to help them in facing the nuanced challenges that students
encounter in a clinical graduate program.
Read on to learn more about how Dr. Taylor and the School are offering unique supports to our students.
Dr. Jennifer Taylor, Associate Dean of Academic Programs
Ask: Don't Assume. Building Stronger Relationships between Audiologists and the Deaf Community
By Kirstein Williams
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The ASL and Deaf Studies Program hosted an event on Saturday, Sept. 13, in recognition of Deaf Awareness Month. "Say What? Let’s Sign About It" brought together members of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, audiologists, interpreters, and service providers to address healthcare barriers and discuss ways to improve communication access across the Mid-South.
Read on to learn more about this event and the important conversation that was shared.
Welcoming Ashland Johnson: new SLP Clinical Faculty Member
by: Lacey Halley
Ashland Johnson is a new SLP clinical assistant professor with the School of Communication
Sciences and Disorders. When asked what attracted her to the School, she noted, "The
University of Memphis fosters a collaborative environment where faculty, students,
and clinicians work together to solve real challenges and expand access to care."
Learn more about the diverse skills she brings to her role, the new clinical program she'll be starting this Spring and why joining the School has been the perfect next step for her.
School Updates Fall 2025
Upcoming Events
56th Mid-South Conference:
February 23-24, 2026
The 56th Annual Mid-South Conference on Communicative Disorders is busily preparing for this year’s conference. It will be held in Memphis, February 23-24, 2026. The strong clinical focus of the conference attracts professionals from throughout the United States as well as graduate and undergraduate students in the field of communication sciences and disorders.
Click on the graphic to see speaker and session information (updated 10/27/2025).
Registration is Now Open! for the 56th Mid-South Conference!
We look forward to seeing you there!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on conference information!