Issue

Communicologist, Volume 51 - Issue 1 | 01.31.24

Student Spotlight: How Students Benefit from Attending TSHA Convention

By: Emily Gruver, BS, BA, TSHA Graduate Student Representative

The Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) Convention is the association’s professional and academic extravaganza, designed to capture the attention of students, professionals, academics, citizens, and anyone else interested in the fields of speech-language pathology and audiology, and educate them. The 68th TSHA Convention will be held February 22-24 in Fort Worth, and all students—undergraduate and graduate—should mark their calendars to attend Convention.

The TSHA 2024 Convention schedule features Amp-Up sessions with invited keynote speakers, curated sessions designed to address all areas of interest, settings, and populations; social events; an exhibit hall filled with innovative products and businesses who may be looking to hire; and a Spirit Day with events catered toward undergraduate and graduate students; University Meet and Greet; and the Praxis Bowl competition. Students can have their résumés reviewed and interview for clinical fellowship opportunities.

Among the most exciting aspects of Convention are the unique networking opportunities. Networking with professionals and students from other universities will be invaluable to us in our goals to establish ourselves as soon-to-be professionals, hone interpersonal skills, and form mentoring relationships. Students will want to take advantage of all the offerings at Convention. And, best of all, TSHA Convention is fun!

What else can students expect to gain from attending TSHA Convention? First, the Amp-Up sessions will provide valuable insight into important professional topics. Students will not want to miss this year's Amp-Up sessions, “Anti-Ableism: Lighting the Path to Equity and Empowerment” and “Mentorability: Exploring and Assessing Your Own Mentorability in a Mentoring Partnership.” The earlier that students become aware of dominant issues in the fields and how to navigate them, the better prepared they will be for a successful career. These invited speakers are well known in their own professions and also will provide students with exposure to professionals in other fields with whom they may interact on an inter-, multi-, or transdisciplinary team.

Next, exploring the wide variety of topics featured in sessions at the TSHA Convention is a student’s best way to survey the interesting and enriching areas included in the speech-language-hearing fields. These sessions provide a one- to two-hour glimpse into many of the populations, settings, research topics, disorders, and treatment approaches used by speech-language pathologists and audiologists, and they may serve to open new paths for students who were previously unaware of these areas. They may even change the direction a student chooses to go with their career. TSHA Convention sessions are an amalgamation of creative, thought-provoking, and interesting topics in our field.

For undergraduate students, the University Meet and Greet is an opportunity unlike any other. Most graduate programs in Texas are represented and are looking to meet prospective students. This event may serve as a student’s first chance to meet a program chair, or it may convince them to add an additional school to their application list. For graduate students, the Praxis Bowl is the place to be on the afternoon of Friday, February 23. If your school does not yet have a team, put one together as soon as possible. The Praxis Bowl is a combination of pep rally and academic decathlon and is the perfect method of practice for an upcoming Praxis-taker. A win comes with bragging rights for the year, but even a loss comes with exposure to Praxis questions, a game show-like experience, and the potential to win raffle prizes.

For a student, the TSHA Convention is the perfect combination of learning, fun, and networking that cannot be experienced at any other events or conferences. Plus, as a TSHA student member (only $35 a year), Convention registration is only $80. For no more than $115 total, students gain access to all of TSHA’s online student resources and all three days of the TSHA Convention. The knowledge, experience, professional growth, and resources to be gained from the TSHA Convention will change students’ lives and perspectives. But don’t take my word for it—see the TSHA Convention for yourself!