After some time away, we are excited to relaunch the SPLH newsletter as we share highlights from a year of growth and meaningful work across the department.

Throughout 2025, SPLH has continued to see outstanding accomplishments from our students, faculty, and staff. Their work has advanced our shared mission in important ways. Even as we have navigated ongoing budget challenges, we have remained deeply committed to supporting one another and sustaining the excellence of our programs.

In this newsletter, we celebrate key moments from the past year and look ahead with renewed energy and optimism for what is to come.

We also share a leadership update. Department Chair David Slusky will be stepping down after accepting a new role as Chair of the Department of Economics. We are sincerely grateful for his four years of thoughtful and supportive leadership and wish him every success in his next chapter.

2025 brought exciting updates to the SPLH department in the form of many improvements. 

We were pleased to welcome Administrative Associate Michaela Edwards to the team. Since joining SPLH, Michaela has helped refresh shared spaces to create a more welcoming and collaborative environment. She has improved organization and processes across the department and updated marketing materials such as flyers and brochures.

The department has also enhanced classroom and meeting technology while refreshing the SPLH website with updated content and improved navigation, making it easier for students, prospective students, and community partners to access information and stay connected.

In addition, our newly refurbished student space is now seeing a steady stream of activity, with students regularly gathering to study, collaborate, and connect. We’re excited to see the space being so well used and look forward to continuing improvements that further support our community.

Together, these updates reflect SPLH’s ongoing commitment to creating an environment where students, faculty, and those we serve can learn, connect, and thrive.

Recognizing a milestone moment for our students as they graduate from our program. 

Please join us on: 

Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 1pm - 3pm
Budig Hall Auditorium, Room 120

Reception to follow on Wescoe Beach.

We welcomed Dr. Zed Sehyr from Chapman University as our honored guest speaker for the 10th Annual Betty Bunce Lecture. 

Dr. Sehyr examines the neuroplasticity of pathways dedicated to language and visual processing with a focus on signed languages, has developed a lexical database (ASL-LEX.org) for ASL, and advocates for underrepresented communities in academia. 

We are excited to welcome Anjelica Pearson, Au.D., CCC-A, CH-AP to the SPLH Lawrence campus team!

Joining us from the University of Kansas Medical Center, Dr. Pearson is a skilled audiologist with expertise in hearing assessment, ABR testing, and hearing aid care. She also brings a passion for teaching and mentoring students, emphasizing patient- and family-centered care. We’re thrilled to have her on board!

Starting in Fall 2026, graduate students can earn a Graduate Certificate in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to deepen their expertise and better prepare to support individuals with complex communication needs.

We are proud to celebrate Dr. Nancy Brady on receiving the 2025 Honors of the Association from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Dr. Brady has been a vital part of the University of Kansas community for 25 years, dedicating her career to research, teaching, and mentorship.

Our department is filled with so many amazing students, faculty, staff, and alumni. Join us in learning more about them. 

We are thrilled to recognize Steve Warren and Eva Horn, whose dedication to the University of Kansas spans decades. Steve served for 28 years and Eva for 22 years, both building distinguished careers in research, teaching, and student development. Their commitment to education continues through their generous support of the SPLH department by establishing an endowment to fund graduate student travel.

Their gift provides important opportunities for students to present their research, engage with the broader professional community, and further their academic growth. We are deeply grateful for their lasting impact on our department and the greater KU community.

Steven F. Warren

Professor Emeritus

Eva M. Horn

Professor Emerita

Professor Elizabeth Leatherman is part of a major new initiative at the University of Kansas Center for Developmental Disabilities, which has received a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs. The funding supports SKIES, a five-year program that will provide scholarships and intensive training for graduate students in Special Education and Speech-Language Pathology.

As a co-investigator, Dr. Leatherman will play a key role in teaching, mentoring, and coordinating training experiences for scholars, with a focus on interdisciplinary collaboration and supporting individuals who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

“We know that preparing educators and SLPs to be knowledge and confident in AAC is critical for supporting positive outcomes for AAC users, so we are excited to contribute to graduate students’ preparation in this area with specialized experiences and mentoring,” Leatherman shared.

The program offers financial support, hands-on fieldwork, and opportunities for professional development. Scholars will complete their program with the knowledge and skills needed to support AAC users in general education and natural environments using evidence-based methods.

Limited spots available.

We are excited to continue offering several unique group camps in partnership with the SERTOMA Club. These programs provide meaningful opportunities for children to build communication skills in a supportive and engaging environment.

Our student clinicians look forward to working with your children, providing guidance and support through hands-on, real-world learning experiences. 

Since its reopening and renovation in November 2024, the lab has featured updated technology and expanded resources, now including 43 AAC devices with a range of access methods, communication software, and customization options to support hands-on learning, clinical training, and research.

The lab continues to be an essential hub for students to gain practical experience, explore innovative communication tools, and promote inclusive communication for people of all ages, making it a valuable resource for both the university and the broader community.

In 2025, the Schiefelbusch Clinic has begun serving Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools. Clinical faculty members Tanya Myrick and Kate Greenleaf now work directly with students in the district by helping provide the speech and language support they need to succeed in the classroom.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the KU Language Acquisition Preschool (LAP), a program that has been nurturing young minds since 1985.

Founded by Drs. Mabel Rice and Kim Wilcox, LAP has become a cornerstone of early childhood education in the Lawrence community, fostering language development and a love of learning for generations of children. Over the years, the program has been guided by dedicated leaders including former directors Drs. Betty Bunce, Ana Paula Mumy and Jane Wegner. Today, LAP continues its tradition of excellence under the leadership of Director Dr. Matt Gillispie and Lead Teacher Janel Leitch. They are carrying forward a legacy built on passion, innovation, and care.

Looking forward to many more years of inspiring little learners!

Speech-Language-Hearing

3001 Dole Human Development Center
1000 Sunnyside Ave
Lawrence, KS 66045

splh.ku.edu
splh@ku.edu
785-864-0630

Schiefelbusch Clinic

2101 Haworth Hall
1200 Sunnyside Ave.
Lawrence, KS 66045

splhclinic.ku.edu
aclinic@ku.edu
785-864-4690

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