Florida State University students from the College of Communication and Information helped restore hearing for hundreds of patients during a service-learning trip to Guatemala last semester. 

Selena Snowden, teaching faculty III and director of Audiology Services in the School of Communication Science and Disorders, led a group to Sololá, Guatemala, where students performed more than 100 ear cleanings, fitted 276 hearing devices and saw more than 200 patients for appointments during four days of clinics. 

Known as the “Help Guatemala Hear” service trip, Snowden has led groups of students and professionals on similar service trips since 2015, pausing only during the pandemic. The program aims to provide the “gift of sound” to children, adults and indigenous people in the region.  

“I love to witness how the students grow each year clinically, personally, and in humility over the course of experience,” Snowden said.  

A record number of students participated in the trip: 14 undergraduate students and three graduate students from FSU, along with one undergraduate student studying communication sciences and disorders at Valdosta State University.  

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For doctoral student Ashley Ippolito, the future of communication sciences and disorders isn’t just found in a clinic. It’s also written in code.

Driven by her research on children’s language development, Ippolito developed ScriptToolKit, a language analysis program designed to bridge the gap between technical programming and clinical care. Her work highlights a powerful interdisciplinary intersection, demonstrating how custom software can reduce time spent on manual analysis, allowing researchers to focus more on the children, fulfilling Ippolito’s primary goal: research with definable real-world impact.

Her passion lies in working with student-generated classroom data to build tools that address real needs in research and practice. By analyzing a corpus of children’s writing samples, she has made key connections about how students understand word structure, formation and meaning.

Ippolito is also committed to ensuring the field evolves alongside her. By integrating her research directly into her practice, she is supporting fellow students in the School of Communication Science and Disorders through new learning modules for coding and data analysis. Beyond the university, she works as a speech-language pathologist in a neighboring school district, applying her findings to support children’s language development.

Why did you choose Florida State University?

I chose to attend FSU because it felt like a place where I could grow in more than one direction at once. I wanted a program that took research seriously, valued applied community work and encouraged students to build things that don’t exist yet. FSU offered strong mentorship, access to meaningful data and the freedom to design projects.

What really stood out to me was how supported student-led ideas are here. From faculty who treat students like collaborators, to funding opportunities and interdisciplinary spaces, FSU has given me room to take risks, build tools and pursue work that matters.

What academic achievements have you accomplished at FSU?

One of my most meaningful academic accomplishments at FSU has been developing ScriptToolKit, a platform that includes ScriptSense, ScriptPrep and ScriptGuide. It helps speech-language pathologists, educators and researchers analyze language samples more efficiently and equitably.

Another significant academic project has been my work on written language development and morphological complexity using large-scale datasets. I have been involved in cleaning, analyzing and interpreting a corpus of children’s writing samples to better understand how morphological knowledge appears in student writing.

How have you impacted your community?

Beyond the classroom, one of my most meaningful contributions has been my clinical and community-based work with preschool-aged children and families in a neighboring school district. I conduct evaluations, provide intervention, and collaborate with teachers and families to support children’s early language development.

I have also taken on leadership and mentorship roles with undergraduate and graduate students at FSU, particularly research assistants. I design training materials, workflows and coding systems that help students develop real research skills while contributing meaningfully to ongoing projects.

Together, this work contributes to FSU and Tallahassee by strengthening community partnerships, supporting early childhood development and creating pathways for students to engage in applied, socially meaningful research.

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Carla Wood, a professor and director of Florida State University’s School of Communication Science and Disorders (SCSD), has been selected as a Fellow of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), an organization that grants fellowship status to fewer than 25 individuals annually.

The fellowship is awarded to individuals who have made notable contributions in the fields of speech-language pathology, audiology, and speech and hearing science.

“Dr. Carla Wood’s recognition as an ASHA Fellow is not only a testament to her extraordinary achievements, but also a reflection of the School of Communication Science and Disorders’ commitment to national leadership and innovation in our field,” said Dean Michelle Kazmer of the College of Communication and Information. “Her dedication inspires our entire community, demonstrating how the impact of excellent scholarship can elevate our college, our university, and the discipline as a whole.”

Wood has maintained involvement with ASHA for over 30 years as a certified speech-language pathologist.

“This recognition is another reflection of the vibrant community of scholars that contributes to such attainments,” Wood said. “I feel even more dedicated to nominating and putting our outstanding colleagues forward for the Fellowship so that our faculty in SCSD are elected each year.”

Wood’s work with ASHA has been so substantial that Wood said her “three children grew up believing that the ASHA national conference was an annual holiday between Halloween and Thanksgiving.”

“I am celebrating my twentieth year at FSU, with continuous federal grant funding since 2008, thanks to great colleagues and partnerships at FSU,” Wood said. “In that time, I have witnessed SCSD double in size and the number of faculty members with federal research and training grants, embodying the principle that ‘a rising tide lifts all ships.’”

Looking forward, Wood plans to continue supporting and highlighting the numerous endeavors of the SCSD community, including research, training, academics and clinical excellence.

For more information, visit commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu/.

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Florida State University’s School of Communication Science & Disorders is extending its reach, placing graduate students with speech-language pathology partners across the state for clinical experiences that benefit both the students and the communities they serve.

Housed in the College of Communication and Information, students in the school’s nationally ranked graduate program conduct fieldwork to gain hands-on experience and develop the skills needed to excel in the profession. The program ranks No. 10 among national public universities and No. 1 in the state of Florida, according to U.S. News & World Report.

“Our culture is changing, and there are more ways than one to earn a degree and do things,” said Tricia Montgomery, director of Clinical Education. “This is a great way for us to meet people where they are.”

The Master of Science in Communication Science & Disorders program has two main cohorts: the Tallahassee campus cohort, a full-time residential program; and a distance learning cohort, a part-time program designed for students across Florida.

The distance learning program enables students to earn a master’s degree, the entry-level qualification to become a speech-language pathologist, in their hometown while participating in various externship opportunities, including medical, school and private practice sites, to meet professional certification requirements.

The beauty of our distance learning program is that we can tailor it to our students. We have a course sequence, but we can adapt clinical education to allow people who wouldn’t normally be able to participate in a graduate program to do so right in their community.

— Tricia Montgomery, director of Clinical Education

“The beauty of our distance learning program is that we can tailor it to our students,” Montgomery said. “We have a course sequence, but we can adapt clinical education to allow people who wouldn’t normally be able to participate in a graduate program to do so right in their community.”

Master’s student Kennon Moses shares how the distance learning program has assisted him in taking an unconventional route to obtaining his degree.

“This program is very special and provides opportunities for students to pursue their passions and obtain a master’s degree without taking the traditional route, which is not always available to everyone,” Moses said. “Being able to partner with clinical sites in the area is a worthwhile asset possessed by the distance learning program that helps strengthen the connection between coursework and clinical practicum.”

The school maintains strong ties with clinical sites and community members through its many partnered facilities and programs statewide, and they aim to expand alongside the larger FSU Health initiative.

“While statistics show that many speech-language pathologists spend some time in their career working in public schools, there are also many who work in other settings, such as health care, rehab teams, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities and private practices,” Montgomery said.

Speech-language pathology Distance Learning Graduate Program Coordinator Jinger Deason emphasized how the school has implemented various strategies to secure clinical rotation sites for its graduate students.

“We’ve employed a lot of strategies, from cold calls, to inviting our students to look in their communities,” Deason said. “We teach them how to network with professionals in their community and connect with places that might have a meaningful connection for clinical rotations.”

Lauren Santoro, a graduate student in the distance learning program, is grateful that the program is adaptable to meet students where they are in their lives and communities.

“Having access to a program that partners with local clinical sites has been invaluable,” Santoro said. “It has allowed me to continue working as a speech-language pathology assistant while pursuing my master’s degree, providing the flexibility to balance work and study. It provided me with hands-on experience that I could immediately apply to my studies.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, public health norms have significantly changed. Embracing this opportunity, the speech-language pathology program focuses on being proactive, not reactive.

“We’re starting to see some changes nationally where they’re looking at adopting new things.” Montgomery said. “It’s our job to stay at the forefront of what’s going on. We’re constantly reviewing our curriculum to ensure we’re tracking competencies, staying ahead of national trends and ensuring our students receive proper supervision and mentorship.”

For more information about FSU’s speech-language pathology program visit, School of Communication Science & Disorders.

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A Florida State University team of faculty and administrators has served as integral partners in supporting Jefferson County Schools (JCS), providing research expertise and resources, as the district establishes a new community partnership schools model.

Through the success of this initiative and the dedication of JCS faculty and staff, the school district earned a ‘B’ grade from the Florida Department of Education for the 2023-2024 school year.

As a core partner, FSU has provided evidence-based research support and helped leverage relationships to provide a wider array of resources and services to JCS, helping remove barriers to education in the community.

“The FSU team is proud to play a part in the achievements of Jefferson County Schools and the community partnership schools model,” said Jarrett Terry, assistant provost for centers, institutes, and community engagement. “We recognize and commend both the Jefferson County community’s and the school district’s hard work and dedication, which were the main drivers of the success that propelled them to achieving a ‘B’ grade. FSU is committed to supporting and enhancing the partnership’s efforts in working toward solutions for community-defined problems.”

In 2022, JCS launched the new school model to better support the district’s success while simultaneously addressing the needs of the community. The innovative community partnership schools (CPS) model is an evidence-based approach that aims to improve student achievement and well-being by addressing the academic, social, emotional and health needs of students and their families.

The model involves four types of community partners, who have all signed a 25-year memorandum of understanding as part of the shared governance model:

• Local school district: Jefferson County Schools
• Nonprofit: Children’s Home Society of Florida
• Higher Education: Florida State University, Florida A&M University, and North Florida College
• Health Care: Florida Department of Health – Jefferson

The CPS model focuses on four pillars: wellness supports, expanded learning time and opportunities, family and community engagement, and collaborative leadership and practice. All services and supports at the school fall under one of these four pillars.

With Children’s Home Society of Florida as the lead partner, partners work with the community to identify and address the barriers and opportunities for learning and development.  All of the partners have a place on the executive cabinet, which meets monthly to discuss goals for the year, strategic planning and how to best provide services and supports.

Erin Bush, assistant professor in the School of Communication Science & Disorders within FSU’s College of Communication and Information, currently serves as the faculty lead for FSU’s support of the CPS. Over the past two years, she and her team have facilitated a needs-assessment for the district to best determine what the needs and challenges in Jefferson County are and how the school and community can be mutually beneficial partners.

“We’re really working with the community and researching with them,” Bush said. “We can’t come in and provide a top-down solution and think that’s going to work as an outsider to any community. We have to come in and really get to know the community to begin to understand their unique needs.”

The needs-assessment included participants from all aspects of the greater JCS community and was conducted to collect and analyze data on student and community member perceptions of the benefits and challenges they experience living in Jefferson County. The study also reviewed existing and available community supports and resources.

“The CPS model really takes into consideration all aspects of students’ lives and tries to support their health and well-being not just keeping it isolated to their school performance,” Bush said. “The model understands that school performance is greatly influenced by all of the other things going on in the students’ lives and in the community.”

The results of the needs assessment are set to be presented to the community partnership steering committee and will inform new programming and services for the community.

“FSU was particularly instrumental in supporting the needs assessment for Jefferson County Schools,” Bush said. “The needs assessment is necessary to uncover what needs to be done for the community in the future. But the real heroes of the story are the individuals at Jefferson County K-12 school and the community partnership school. We’re just happy to be one of the supportive partners.”

Jefferson County K-12, the only school in the district, is the only K-12 community partnership school in the state of Florida and enrolls over 700 students annually. Lori Livingston, director of the community partnership school at Jefferson K-12, said that having a large age range of students presents more opportunities than it does challenges.

“We have consistency with not just the education, the quality of the education that’s being provided, but also the relationships that are built with the staff, parents and community,” Livingston said. “With a community-based research approach, we are really able to maximize our resources while creating ownership within the community.”

Bush and Livingston jointly presented the findings to date during the July Learning Series of FSU’s College of Medicine’s Network for Clinical Research, Training, and Community Engagement (NCRT-CE) series, providing insight into how FSU’s faculty and partners can focus on public impact activities.

“Having Florida State University as one of our core partners definitely adds to the legitimacy of the CPS model, and not just on paper,” Livingston said. “Assistant Provost Jay Terry sits on our cabinet and helps us solve problems and commits resources, which is invaluable for us. Florida State has found ways to support us outside of the box and is invested into going above and beyond the minimum requirements to really make an impact and a difference.”

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 A project team from Florida State University’s School of Communication Science & Disorders has been awarded a grant to use a technology-based approach to deliver literacy instruction for multilingual students with or at risk for disabilities.  

Carla Wood, director of the School of Communication Science & Disorders and project director, received the $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to implement this research in at least 10 Florida elementary schools. The grant will be distributed over a five-year period. 

 Working with the Florida Center for Interactive Media, the team aims to develop and demonstrate the use of technology to provide accessible educational materials and improve the English learners’ acquisition of academic words, vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension. 

 “I’ve seen firsthand how some students can struggle in the classroom even with highly skilled teachers, due to the diverse learning needs of a class of students, especially among English learners,” Wood said. “This grant brings together an interdisciplinary team to address a very complex problem that has been my life’s work.” 

 The focus for this research is on English learners at the elementary school level, with or at risk for disabilities such as speech or language impairment, autism, deafness, hearing impairment, developmental delay or specific learning disabilities.  

 The added use of technology will allow students to interact with adaptive literacy instruction and receive instant feedback. By taking this project to schools across urban, suburban and rural areas of the state, the team hopes to learn the best ways to leverage technology to improve literacy outcomes for these students.  

 Wood, the director, strives to engage in collaborative research that takes an interdisciplinary approach. Her work focuses on improving language and literacy outcomes for children from various backgrounds and with differing abilities, while supporting opportunities for the next generation of scholars in the field. She became director of the School of Communication Science & Disorders in 2021.  

 The project team also includes Fengfeng Ke, Casey Guynes, Michelle Torres Chavarro and Sana Tibi.  

 Ke, a professor in the Department of Educational Psychology & Learning Systems, brings expertise in instructional technologies for children with disabilities. Guynes will help integrate American Sign Language in this research. Doctoral student Chavarro and Tibi, an associate professor, will lend their knowledge to this project as crosslinguistic language experts. 

 “I am pleased and grateful for the approval of this funding,” said Michelle Kazmer, dean of the College of Communication and Information. “Dr. Wood has assembled an extraordinary interdisciplinary project team. Their development and demonstration of transformative uses of technology in this critical area will make a crucial difference in students’ lives.” 

 To learn more about the School of Communication Science & Disorders, visit commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu.  

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