Mikaely Schmitz, an assistant professor of speech-language pathology, was recently awarded the 2020 Student Mentor Award by the Wisconsin Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Association (WSHA).
This marks the second time in three years a Concordia University Wisconsin professor has been honored. Assistant Professor Angela Haendel won the same award in 2018. Presented at the recent WSHA annual convention, “Champions Of Our Profession,” the award recognizes accomplishments and demonstrated leadership in speech, language, pathology, and audiology.
“Her passion for providing excellent service to her students in this field is contagious,” senior Melanie Boyer said in nominating Schmitz for the award. “Her commitment to the future of speech-language pathology has made an impressionable impact on all of us, and she devotes so much time outside class to meet with students and invest in their future.”
Schmitz develops and teaches classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the program, housed within the university’s School of Health Professions. Her career has included working in elementary schools, skilled nursing facilities, acute health care centers, long-term acute care hospitals, and pediatric clinical outpatient settings.
Concordia’s Speech-Language Pathology degrees are among the newest program additions at the university. The Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology degree officially launched classes in summer 2018. The companion undergraduate program—the Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders degree—launched four years prior to that.
Even though it is a relatively new program, Schmitz has made significant strides in setting up learning and outreach efforts within the Milwaukee community. She is especially passionate about her work with Concordia Communication Sciences and Disorders majors at St. Martini Lutheran School, a LUMIN School located in Milwaukee. In addition to language enrichment sessions led by Concordia students, young learners are engaged in phonics and grammar.
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Students who enroll at Concordia also reap the benefit of a brand-new, state-of-the-art Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic on campus. The clinic opened in fall 2019 and is located in The Robert W. Plaster Free Enterprise Center.
WSHA, based in Kimberly, provides leadership and support for speech language pathologists, audiologists, and speech language and hearing scientists in Wisconsin through education, advocacy and public awareness.
Dr. Elizabeth Eernisse, an assistant professor of speech pathology, made it a three-year “Concordia connection” at the convention when she presented in 2019.
For more details on the program, visit cuw.edu/speechpathology.
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