The Wisconsin Idea Task Force (WITF) is a part of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) UW-Madison chapter. WITF was established to carry out the three main pillars of diversity, outreach, and inclusion. Our mission is to expand and diversify representation within the professions of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CS&D) by collaborating with community partners who support younger students, providing interactive educational presentations, and creating opportunities for high school students from underrepresented populations to explore this field.
WITF members visited 10 Madison-area schools since last spring. During these visits, they gave 27 presentations on the fields of CS&D to approximately 665 students.
This year’s CS&D summer intern was Sophia Diaz-Gutierrez (she/her), a recent graduate of West High School. Sofi worked with the CS&D department for 5 weeks (Mon-Thurs, June 24-July 25). Monday-Wednesday, Sofi worked with Dr. Ben Parrell and Chris Naber in the Speech Motor Action + Control Lab. Thursdays were dedicated to clinical shadowing, lab visits, resume building, and planning the CS&D on-Campus Field Trip. Thank you to our clinical faculty and labs for hosting these educational experiences!
On July 25, NSSLHA undergraduates hosted a CS&D Career Exploration Field Trip here on campus for 50+ 7th -10th grade students from the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County. These students ate lunch at the DeJope dining hall, learned about the fields of CS&D and Sofi’s internship experience, participated in creative activities related to speech, language, and hearing, and finished with ice cream near the lake! Misha Finney, NSSLHA faculty advisor, Sophia Diaz-Gutierrez, CS&D high school summer intern, and NSSLHA volunteers organized and facilitated all activities, including transportation, lunch, presentations, and hands-on activities.
