Dear CAPCSD Member,

Below are the upcoming anticipated dates so that you may plan accordingly. Dates are subject to change. CAPCSD will send separate email for each of the below dates with official information.

CAPCSD Board of Directors Call for Nominations Opens October 15

2026 Honors & Award Nominations Opening October 15

Scholarships Are Now Open

We are pleased to announce CAPCSD’s annual scholarship programs are open. CAPCSD’s strategic investment and long-standing commitment across several decades to building a robust pipeline of speech pathology and audiology professionals remains strong and unwavering.

One of our biggest professional existential challenges is the recognized shortage of individuals with doctoral degrees who can serve as educators and mentors to train future professionals. CAPCSD’s survey of doctoral scholarship recipients indicates that over 85% of recipients complete their doctoral education and continue to positions as academic faculty. Additionally, graduate students receiving research scholarships have contributed to the growth of evidence-based practice in our discipline. Students receiving recognition for service have emerged as volunteer leaders across many professional organizations.

Students in CAPCSD member programs with membership paid in full no later than September 15, 2025, are eligible to apply to three different scholarship competitions, each with its unique focus, as described below.

Frances J. Laven Scholarship: Up to ten graduate students (Master's SLP, Au.D., or SLPD) who reflect the values of exemplary service to the profession will be awarded this scholarship created in honor of Frances J. Laven. Frances was the co-owner of CAPCSD’s first management company, working tirelessly for CAPCSD and facilitating its growth for several years.

Plural Publishing Research Scholarships: Two graduate research scholarships (one Master's/Au.D. and one Ph.D. level) will be awarded to assist recipients in completing a specific research project. These scholarships are offered and awarded with gratitude for the generosity of Plural Publishing and their support of CAPCSD.

Ph.D. Scholarships: Up to ten Ph.D. scholarships will be awarded to qualified applicants who are pursuing their doctoral education in speech-language pathology and audiology.

Learn more about this year’s competitions, deadlines and submit your application here.

As our efforts to promote and support the growth of our future professionals continue, we encourage CAPCSD members to share information about these scholarship opportunities with their students.

 Call for Committee Volunteers

The CAPCSD Clinical Education Resource Repository:
Mid-Semester Support for Clinical Educators

As we approach the midpoint of the Fall semester, many preceptors are navigating pivotal moments with students, whether that means engaging in challenging conversations, providing more structured feedback, or finding new ways to support learners as they progress through clinical practicum and externships. The CAPCSD Clinical Education Resource Repository is here to help.

This free, curated collection of open-source, evidence-based resources includes articles, podcasts, videos, and more - all organized by topic for easy access. Whether you’re a new or experienced supervisor, the repository offers practical strategies, fresh perspectives, and ready-to-use materials that can support your supervisory practice and enhance the student learning experience.

We encourage our member programs to share this resource widely with community supervisors. Explore the repository today and find tools that meet precepting needs at every stage of supervision!

Andy Clare DHSc CCC-SLP CBIS

Vice President for Clinical Education
Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders

DEIB - Shared Purpose and Meaningful Connections

This month, as part of a renewed commitment to ensuring that all accredited programs prepare compassionate practitioners to deliver individualized care with integrity and compassion and meet accreditation standards, CAPCSD’s DEIB Committee is spotlighting a series of initiatives and events that highlight ongoing efforts to preserve our focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and provide opportunities for transformative collaborations from groups represented within the Multicultural Constituency:

Hispanic Caucus
In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), the Hispanic Caucus will host a Cafecita Conversation with ASHA’s president-elect, Dr. Rosa-Lugo, on Thursday, October 10, at 12:00 p.m. EST. More details are available in the Hispanic Caucus newsletter found at https://mailchi.mp/3fe8d4b445cd/issue-4-newsletter?e=d02c6bef41 or in the Hispanic Caucus website (https://www.hispaniccaucusasha.org/).

National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing (NBASLH)
Don’t miss out on NBASLH’s 3rd Annual Cultural Humility Virtual Conference! This event provides high-quality content and continuing education opportunities. You can join for all or part of this event.

• Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
• Time: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST.
• Registration: https://www.nbaslh.org

Multicultural Concerns Collective (MC2)
Join MC2 for a networking reception during the ASHA Convention in Washington, DC, on Thursday, November 20, 2025. This event will bring together colleagues, members of the Multicultural Issues Board, representatives from the Multicultural Constituency Groups, and participants from ASHA’s Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP). Check the ASHA Calendar for meeting details.

Jewish Caucus
As one of ASHA’s newest Multicultural Constituency Groups, the Jewish Caucus provides representation for students and professionals in the field. The Caucus will hold an open house before ASHA’s MC2 reception at the national convention. It’s a great chance to mingle, connect, and then attend the MC2 event together.

• Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025,
• Location: at the Westin Hotel, River Birch A, from
• Time: 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. EST

You can learn more about the ASHA Jewish Caucus at ashajewishcaucus.com.

These events demonstrate the collective commitment across the speech-language and audiology professions to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and maintain belonging. We encourage you to take part, build connections, and celebrate the diversity that strengthens our community.

We want to hear from you!

The CAPCSD DEIB Committee wants to keep lines of communication open with our colleagues across programs in the disciplines. We invite our member programs to share their strategies, recommendations, and commitments to sustaining DEIB efforts. We are seeking concrete examples of how programs are innovating, adapting, and prioritizing work in this space for the underrepresented students, faculty, administrators, and communities we serve. Please send your recommendations, plans for sustaining DEIB, and descriptions of successful initiatives or even those in pilot form to admin@capcsd.org. In future updates, we will highlight your de-identified contributions as part of a collective roadmap -- we know that collaboration transforms individual efforts into broader outcomes inspired by your evidence driven efforts.

Lisa Barber, M.S., CCC-SLP

CAPCSD DEIB Committee Member

Kimberly Green Ed.D., CCC-SLP

Chair, CAPCSD DEIB Committee

Treasurer's Report

As Treasurer of CAPCSD, I am excited to share updates on the meaningful progress we’ve made toward advancing our strategic plan. These efforts are designed to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in how we operate and serve our mission.

Evaluating Impact with ROI/ROM:
One of our key achievements is the development of a Return on Investment (ROI) and Return on Mission (ROM) process. This framework allows us to evaluate committee work and initiatives not only in terms of financial outcomes but also their alignment with our mission. By prioritizing both impact and sustainability, we ensure that every effort contributes meaningfully to our organizational goals.

Establishing an Investment Policy:
We have successfully implemented a comprehensive investment policy to guide the management of our financial resources. This policy ensures responsible stewardship while positioning us for long-term growth and stability. It reflects our commitment to balancing fiscal responsibility with mission-driven priorities.

Streamlining Budget Requests:
To improve efficiency and collaboration, we have introduced a clear structure and process for committees and board members to make and justify annual budget requests. This approach promotes strategic alignment, encourages thoughtful planning, and ensures that resources are allocated effectively across initiatives.

These advancements mark significant milestones in our journey toward building a stronger, more impactful organization. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to achieve our shared vision.

Warm regards,

Ashley W. Harkrider, PhD
Treasurer, CAPCSD

Board Buddy Q&A

CAPCSD's Board of Directors assigned a "Board Buddy" to each of its new board members to help transition into their three-year terms on the CAPCSD Board of Directors. To help our CAPCSD member programs get to know our new board members, each month the newsletter will feature a board buddy asking the new board member questions. For this month, Tricia Montgomery, President, posed these questions to Christie Needham, President-Elect.

Tricia Montgomery, Ph.D., CCC-SLP is a faculty member at Florida State University where she serves as the Director of Clinical Education. She previously served as the VP for Professional Development for CAPCSD and currently is the CAPCSD President.

Christie Needham, M.A. CCC-SLP is a Professor and Director of Clinical Education at Baldwin Wallace University's Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.  She is excited to be serving as the President-Elect on the CAPCSD Board of Directors. 

Tricia Montgomery
President
president@capcsd.org

Christie Needham
President-Elect 
presidentelect@capcsd.org

Admissions Corner

2023-2024 CSDCAS Applicant Data Report is now available.

We are happy to share that the 2023-2024 CSDCAS Applicant Data Report is now available online on the CAPCSD website. This cycle included participation from 240 Speech-Language Pathology programs and 61 Audiology programs, with a total of 12,583 verified applicants, a 6.25% increase from the previous year.

The report has been updated on the CAPCSD website and can be viewed here: https://www.capcsd.org/csdcas-data/.

In addition to the full report, the Admissions Data Subcommittee examined international applications and provided insights into regional applications and prior education. Check out the committee’s findings here!

https://www.capcsd.org                                                                                                                                                                                       October 2025