These stories highlight student and alumni achievements, research advancements, and public and community service contributions. They represent only a fraction of what we have accomplished together. Other stories are highlighted in our social media networks and department news section of the website.
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News & Events
New Year, New Classroom!
We are excited to announce the grand opening of our newly renovated lecture space inside Goodnight Hall! The classroom is open and ready for use this semester. The lecture hall was completely remodeled, overhauling the …
January 27, 2026
And the Squeak Goes On. Scientists search for a better cheese curd.
As many Wisconsinites will assert, a cheese curd is not truly fresh unless it squeaks. Curds typically lose their signature squeak within a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on how they’re stored …
December 29, 2025
Alumni Spotlight: Katie Jacobson Named 2025 WSHA SLP of the Year
We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Katie Jacobson (B.A. ’18, M.S. ’20), a 2020 graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. Katie was recently selected as the …
November 11, 2025
Ryan Burdick Selected for the ASHFoundation New Century Doctoral Scholarship
Ryan Burdick, M.S., CCC-SLP, received a $10,000 2025 New Century Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites doctoral students accepted to, or enrolled in, a research doctoral program …
October 30, 2025
Caitlyn Slawny Selected for the ASHFoundation New Century Doctoral Scholarship
Caitlyn Slawny, M.S., CCC-SLP, received a $10,000 2025 New Century Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites doctoral students accepted to, or enrolled in, a research doctoral program …
October 27, 2025
Sydney Jensen Selected for the ASHFoundation New Century Doctoral Scholarship
Sydney Jensen, M.A., CCC-SLP, received a $10,000 2025 New Century Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites doctoral students accepted to, or enrolled in, a research doctoral program …
October 23, 2025
Denis Michael Rudisch Selected for the ASHFoundation New Century Doctoral Scholarship
Denis Michael Rudisch, M.M., Dipl. Univ., received a $10,000 2025 New Century Doctoral Scholarship from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation). The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites doctoral students accepted to, or enrolled in, a research …
October 20, 2025Denis Michael Rudisch Receives WSHA 2026 Research Grant
Denis Michael Rudisch, M.M., Dipl. Univ., received the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2026 Vicki Lord Larson and James R. Larson Research Grant. Denis is a dissertator in Dr. Michelle Ciucci’s laboratory at …
September 23, 2025
Claudia Schabes Receives WSHA 2026 Research Grant
Claudia Schabes, M.S., CF-SLP, received the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2026 Vicki Lord Larson and James R. Larson Research Grant. Claudia is a doctoral student in Dr. Audra Sterling’s Research in Developmental …
September 23, 2025
Alexis Thompson Receives WSHA 2026 Jack Kile Scholarship
UW-Madison Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) student Alexis Thompson received the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2026 Jack Kile Scholarship. This annual scholarship is sponsored by Jack Kile, Ph.D., CCC-A. Dr. Kile’s passion for …
September 23, 2025
Student Presentation Selected for ASHA 2025 Centennial Session
John Munday, a doctoral student working with Dr. Katie Hustad, has had his 2025 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Conference presentation, “Closing the Gap: A Scoping Review of Speech Intelligibility in Individuals with Cleft Palate” selected …
September 18, 2025
CSD Students Partner with Boys and Girls Club of Dane County
National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) UW-Madison Chapter & The Wisconsin Idea Task Force – Community Engagement Committee (part of NSSLHA) want to express their deep appreciation for their ongoing partnership with the Boys …
June 19, 2025
Speech-Language Pathology Program Named “Best SLP Degree Program in Wisconsin”
SpeechPathology.org has ranked University of Wisconsin-Madison Speech-Language Pathology as “Best SLP Degree Program in Wisconsin“. The rankings are determined by factors such as curriculum quality, faculty expertise, program flexibility, overall value, and licensure preparation.
May 22, 2025
CSD Undergraduate Student Featured on UW Podcast
CSD major Lily Leicht was recently interviewed on the L&S Instructional Design Collaborative podcast. Lily shares a moving story about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and how a simple class activity galvanized her motivation, as …
May 14, 2025
CSD Students Engage in First Nations Cultural Landscape Tour
Our speech-language master’s students visited campus landmarks illuminating the university’s ongoing relationships with the contemporary First Nations of Wisconsin, including the Ho-Chunk Nation, on whose ancestral lands the university now sits. The First Nations Cultural …
May 13, 2025SLP Graduate Students Engage in Outreach on Concussion
Elders have the highest rates of concussions and traumatic brain injury (TBI) when compared to other age groups, with falls being the leading cause of all TBIs in the United States. Clinical Professor Kim Caul …
May 2, 2025
Day of the Badger – Thank you!!
Thank you! Thank you to all who supported Communication Sciences and Disorders on the Day of the Badger! If you missed the #DayoftheBadger, don’t worry: you can still give to our program! Find out more …
April 10, 2025Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Programs Rank Among Best Graduate Programs
U.S. News and World Report has ranked University of Wisconsin-Madison Speech-Language Pathology and University of Wisconsin AuD Consortium as “Best Programs”, placing them among the elite graduate school programs in the nation for 2025. Speech-Language …
April 8, 2025
Emma Libersky Selected for University of Wisconsin–Madison Award for Mentoring Undergraduates in Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities
Congratulations to Emma Libersky for being selected to receive the University of Wisconsin–Madison Award for Mentoring Undergraduates in Research, Scholarly and Creative Activities. The award consists of a certificate, recognition on the Undergraduate Symposium’s program …
March 27, 2025CSD Students Receive Department Scholarship Awards
Congratulations to all of the student recipients! Bernard J. Kwiatkowski Memorial Scholarship – Cecilia Hall Emma Allen Fellowship Award – Roya Abdi, Emily Bagan, Nimesha Dantanarayana, Madeline Hale, Emily Hansen, Danielle Hu, Maryann Krasko, Emma …
March 20, 2025Goodnight Hall Renovations Focus on Student Spaces
Exciting things are happening at Goodnight Hall, home of UW-Madison’s Communication Sciences and Disorders! We’ve recently completed several renovation projects, focused on updating student spaces and improving the student experience. All our smaller academic classrooms …
March 7, 2025
Ella Aldridge Wins 3rd Place in Three Minute Thesis Finals
Congratulations to 2nd year CSD M.S./Ph.D. student Ella Aldridge. She recently placed in 3rd place of the UW-Madison’s 3 Minute Thesis finals. Her speech titled “Get Your Tucks in a Row!” was based on research …
February 20, 2025Ella Aldridge Advances to Three Minute Thesis Finals!
Congratulations to 2nd year CSD M.S./Ph.D. student Ella Aldridge. She recently competed in the UW-Madison’s 3 Minute Thesis Semi-Finals and is moving onto the finals! Her speech titled “Get Your Tucks in a Row!” was …
October 29, 2024
Mariana Ibanez-Baldor Receives WSHA 2025 Jack Kile Scholarship
UW-Madison Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) student Mariana Ibanez-Baldor received the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2025 Jack Kile Scholarship. This annual scholarship is sponsored by Jack Kile, Ph.D., CCC-A. Dr. Kile’s passion for …
September 10, 2024
Maryann Krasko Receives WSHA 2025 Research Grant
Maryann Krasko received the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2025 Vicki Lord Larson and James R. Larson Research Grant. This research grant is offered in honor and memory of the late Vicki Lord …
September 10, 2024Undergraduate Students Receive Hilldale Research Awards
Congratulations to our undergraduate students receiving 2024-2025 Hilldale Undergraduate/Faculty Research Fellowship awards. Generous grants from the Hilldale Foundation and the Wisconsin State Legislature provide for awards of $3,000 each to undergraduate students and $1,000 to …
September 3, 2024
Second Cohort of Speech-Language Pathology Students from University of Texas El Paso Will Visit CSD in June for an Intensive Research Experience
In June, a new group of five master’s students in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Texas El Paso (UTEP) will join the UW-Madison Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Department for a three-week intensive research …
May 8, 2024Doctoral Student in Ciucci Lab Awarded Prestigious NIH Fellowship Award
Maryann Krasko, MS, a doctoral student in UW’s Communication Sciences and Disorders program, envisions a world where patients with neurodegenerative disorders – who struggle with many complicated and debilitating symptoms – can at least retain …
April 29, 2024
CSD Student Selected for UW-Madison Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award
Congratulations to CSD senior Norman Canestorp, recipient of the 2024 Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award. The Outstanding Undergraduate Returning Adult Student Award recognizes returning adult undergraduate students whose exceptional determination and perseverance have enabled …
April 25, 2024Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Programs Rank Among Best Graduate Programs
U.S. News and World Report has ranked University of Wisconsin-Madison Speech-Language Pathology and University of Wisconsin AuD Consortium as “Best Programs”, placing them among the elite graduate school programs in the nation for 2024. Speech-Language …
April 12, 2024
Jenn Soriano Selected for the 2024 CAPCSD Ph.D. Scholarship
Congratulations to Jenn Soriano, M.S., CCC-SLP, for being selected for the 2024 CAPCSD Ph.D. Scholarship. The Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CAPCSD) scholarship program is for students pursuing a research doctoral …
April 9, 2024CSD Students Receive Department Scholarship Awards
Congratulations to all of the student recipients! Bernard J. Kwiatkowski Memorial Scholarship – Ellie McCreary, Anna Freiburger Emma Allen Fellowship Award – Caitlyn Slawny, Chenelle Walker, Emily Bagan, Emma Libersky, Jenn Soriano, Jenny Lucke, Sydney …
March 25, 2024NSSLHA Partners with Boys & Girls Club of Dane County and Centro Hispano of Dane to Give Presentation about CSD
The UW-Madison Chapter of National Student Speech Language Hearing Association’s (NSSLHA) DEI sub-committee (Wisconsin Idea Task Force) partnered with Boys & Girls Club of Dane County and Centro Hispano of Dane to engage middle- and …
December 1, 2023
Nicole Schaen-Heacock Receives American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders 2023 Clinical Research Award
Congratulations to doctoral student Nicole Schaen-Heacock, MS, CCC-SLP! Nicole was selected as the 2023 recipient of the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (AB-SSD) Excellence in Clinical Research Recognition for Adult Dysphagia Research. This …
October 27, 2023Maryann Krasko Receives American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation 2023 Doctoral Student Scholarship
Congratulations to doctoral student Maryann Krasko, M.S.! Maryann was selected for a American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) 2023 New Century Scholars Doctoral Scholarship, and will be formally awarded this November in Boston, MA. The New Century …
October 27, 2023
Liz Cooke Receives American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation 2023 Graduate Student Scholarship
Congratulations to third year audiology student Liz Cooke! Liz was selected for a American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) 2023 Graduate Student Scholarship. The Minority Student Scholarship is a $5,000 student grant supported by the Minority Student …
October 19, 2023
Serena Helman Receives American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation 2023 Student Research Grant in Audiology
Congratulations to third year audiology student Serena Helman! Serena’s proposal entitled “Evaluating the importance of the timescale of fine structure of speech that is important for intelligibility in difficult listening situations” was selected for a …
October 6, 2023Students Named Finalists for Biohealth Communications Competition
Congratulations to Nimesha Didulani Dantanarayana, BSc, MSc, doctoral student in the Binaural Hearing and Speech Laboratory, and Mia Kroll, premed-focused biology undergraduate student and daughter of clinical professor Amy Kroll, on being selected as finalists …
October 2, 2023
CSD Student Receives UW-Madison L&S Leadership Award
Congratulations to CSD senior Gracie Turner, recipient of the 2023-24 Cyrena Pondrom Leadership Award. This leadership award is based on a leadership project proposal and awarded through the L&S Faculty Honors Committee. Professor Pondrom is …
September 11, 2023Nirali Patel and Ryan Burdick Receive WSHA 2023 Risa Mari Otto Scholarship
Congratulations to Nirali Patel and Ryan Burdick. Nirali and Ryan are recipients of the Wisconsin Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA) 2023 Risa Mari Otto Scholarship. This memorial scholarship is sponsored by the family and …
August 23, 2023
Advocacy in Action
Dr. Rachel Lee had the honor of advocating on Capitol Hill last week for our profession and the people we serve. She met with the offices of seven U.S. senators and representatives from Wisconsin and …
May 18, 2023CSD Students Receive Department Scholarship Awards
Congratulations to all of the recipients of theses awards! Bernard Kwiatkowski Memorial Scholarship – Claire Terp Emma Allen Fellowship Award – Emily Hansen, Ted Lunga, Madeline Hale, Kiersten Steinke, Felicia Herlevi, Regan Bolt, Veronica Lane, …
April 6, 2023