GSHA Honors and Awards

The Association shall honor deserving individuals with designated Association awards at the Annual Convention. The Past-President shall chair the Honors and Awards Board and coordinate the Honors and Awards Ceremony with the Convention Committee. The chairs of the following committees shall serve as members: Membership, Student Affairs, Schools, Healthcare and Private Practice, and Higher Education. The Honors and Awards Board will present a slate of award recipients to the Executive Council for approval prior to granting the awards.

Schedule/Timeline
      • January: Solicitation of nominees from GSHA membership
      • February 10: Nominations closed
      • No later than February 16: Honors and Awards Board selects awardees
      • February 17: Names of awardees presented to Executive Director; plaques and certificates ordered/prepared
      • Two weeks prior to Convention: Awardees notified and asked to submit vita and portrait photo to Executive Director
      • Two weeks prior to Convention: Student volunteers solicited to serve as greeters and to hand out programs at Ceremony

Nominations Open Until February 10

Nomination Procedures
Nominations may be made by any GSHA member. All nominees must be current members of GSHA and meet the criteria for the award for which the nomination is being made. A letter of support written by the member making the nomination, indicating in detail how the nominee meets the criteria for the selection must be submitted electronically to the Past-President, Chair of the Honors and Awards Board, no later than February 1 via email. Additional letters of support may also be submitted.

Honors of the Association  
This award recognizes longstanding involvement in GSHA and lifetime professional or scientific achievement in the field of communication sciences and disorders. A nominee must have been an active participant in GSHA no less than five years. The nominee must have demonstrated outstanding contribution to his/her profession in at least three of the following areas:

  • Clinical service
  • Academic teaching
  • Research and scholarship
  • Administrative service
  • Service to GSHA

Dr. Robert A. Hull Leadership Award 
This award recognizes leadership within the field of communication sciences and disorders. A nominee must have been an active member of GSHA no less than five years. The nominee must show outstanding leadership to his/her profession in both of the following areas:

  • Service to GSHA, including service on Executive Council, or in other significant capacities (ex. lobbying efforts)
  • Service to related regional or national professional organizations

Professional Achievement Award (formerly Clinical Achievement and Clinician of the Year)
This award recognizes outstanding professional achievement by a speech-language pathologist or audiologist. Individuals nominated must have three or more years of experience in his/her profession and have demonstrated outstanding contribution in at least one of the following:

  • Assessment and management of speech, language, and/or hearing disorders
  • Professional contributions in the areas of speech, language, and/or hearing disorders
  • Service to local, state, or national professional organizations
  • Innovative program design or therapeutic methods for individuals with speech, language, and/or hearing disorders

Jack Bess Memorial Award 
This award is established in memory of Jack Bess for his many years of support of and contributions to the speech-language pathology and audiology professions. This award recognizes outstanding contribution to the Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association by a member who has been a member of GSHA for five (5) years or less. A nominee must have made a significant contribution to GSHA by demonstrating enthusiasm for the organization and a willingness to accept responsibility and serve the organization in an effective manner.

Volunteer Appreciation Award  

This award gives visible recognition to GSHA members who, as volunteers, exhibit exceptional involvement. Exceptional involvement may be defined as including, but not limited to, the following:

  • Active participation in group discussions
  • Attendance at a majority of group meetings
  • Willingness to accept responsibility for specific aspects of a group’s charge(s)
  • Timely submission of reports
  • A genuine eagerness to support the goals and mission of the GSHA while serving as a volunteer
  • Devotion of unusual amounts of time as a volunteer

 

GSHA Student Success Undergraduate Scholarship 
This award recognizes a student who has displayed exceptional scholastic achievement, leadership skills, and professional involvement in research or service at the local or national level. Individuals must be a part-time or full-time student enrolled in a Georgia college or university in an undergraduate program and a GSHA member. A letter of application from the student should include:

 

  • A personal statement relating to the reasons the student is pursuing a degree in communication sciences and disorders.
  • Future goals focusing on what the student hopes to contribute to his/her profession.
  • Statement regarding how this award will help the student reach these goals.
  • Any additional information the student thinks is pertinent, such as financial need.
  • Two letters of recommendation from a faculty member regarding the student’s scholastic achievement, leadership skills, and related professional involvement in research or service at the local or national levels.

 

GSHA Student Success Graduate Scholarship 
This award recognizes a student who has displayed exceptional scholastic achievement, leadership skills, and professional involvement in research or service at the local or national level. Individuals must be a part-time or full-time student enrolled in a Georgia college or university in a graduate program and a GSHA member. A letter of application from the student should include:

  • A personal statement relating to the reasons the student is pursuing a degree in communication sciences and disorders.
  • Future goals focusing on what the student hopes to contribute to his/her profession.
  • Statement regarding how this award will help the student reach these goals.
  • Any additional information the student thinks is pertinent, such as financial need.
  • One letter of recommendation from a faculty member regarding the student’s scholastic achievement, leadership skills, and related professional involvement in research or service at the local or national levels.
  • One letter of recommendation from a clinical supervisor (on-campus or off-campus) regarding the student’s clinical potential, leadership skills, and related professional involvement.

Legislator Appreciation Award 
This award gives visible recognition to legislators who exhibit exceptional involvement as an advocate for individuals with speech, language, or hearing impairments. Exceptional involvement may be defined as including, but not limited to the following:

  • Sponsorship of legislation directly related to our professions.
  • Sponsorship of legislation indirectly related to our professions, e.g., legislation that would improve the quality of healthcare for all Georgians as a whole or a specific populations (allied health issues).
  • Opposition of legislation that would be detrimental to the goals and objectives of our professions.
  • Education of other legislators concerning the goals and objectives of our professions.

State Clinical Achievement Award (ASHA Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Outstanding Recent Achievement)
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation (ASHFoundation) invites State Speech-Language-Hearing Associations to participate in the Clinical Achievement Awards program. Each state association is asked to select one individual from within the state to receive an award for demonstrated contributions to the advancement of knowledge in clinical practices in speech-language pathology and audiology within the last 6 years. That individual named by the state association will receive a certificate from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation and will be named the year’s State Clinical Achievement Award Winner.

From among all the annual State Clinical Achievement Award Winners, one individual will be chosen as the recipient of the year’s Louis M. DiCarlo Award for Outstanding Recent Clinical Achievement. That person will receive a recognition plaque and a grant of $1,500 to further the work upon which the award is based. The recipient of the DiCarlo Award will be announced and recognized at the annual ASHA Convention.

Nominees are not limited to any one type of clinical achievement or activity and past nominees are eligible. However, the achievement must be specific, well defined, and clearly within the time limit of the last six years. Eligible activities or accomplishments for which an individual might receive the DiCarlo Award include, but are not restricted to, the following examples.

  • A single achievement with a client or group of clients
  • A specific clinical service or training program
  • A specific achievement in a state or local organization or government agency activity
  • A specific accomplishment in clinical teaching, research, or administration

Nomination Procedures:State associations are asked to establish the mechanisms by which their nominees are determined, but are advised to recognize recent achievement based on criteria for selection of the DiCarlo Award recipient. Forms and procedures for submitting a state nomination to ASHFoundation are located on the ASHA website at http://www.ashfoundation.org under Grants and Awards. 

Note: The DiCarlo Award is not a general lifetime award, nor is it for general accomplishment over a six-year period. Nominations must be framed on a single, specific, well-defined achievement in order to meet award eligibility.