alumni | Page 5 | College of Applied Health Sciences

SHS alum Anjali Forber-Pratt named director of NIDILRR

May 24, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Forber-Pratt’s research is focused on disability identity, inclusion, disability sport, and work related to disability activism

*SHS alum Anjali Forber-Pratt named director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research*

Anjali Forber-Pratt, who earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Department of Speech and Hearing Science in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois, has been named as director of the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR).

Forber-Pratt, most recently an assistant professor at Vanderbilt University, is an elite wheelchair racer, having won two bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. She also represented Team USA in London at the 2012 Paralympic Games.

Her research is focused on disability identity, inclusion, disability sport, and work related to disability activism. Forber-Pratt holds a B.S. in Speech and Hearing Sciences, an M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology, and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development, all from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

A two-time Paralympian and medalist in the sport of wheelchair racing, Dr. Forber-Pratt has dedicated her life to helping others recognize their potential. Globally, she is involved with disability advocacy efforts related to access to employment, education and sports. She was honored with the inaugural American Psychological Association Citizen Psychologist Award for Advancing Disability as a Human Rights and Social Justice Issue Award in 2020 and was recognized by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education as a 2018 Emerging Scholar. In 2013, she was awarded the American Association of People with Disabilities’ prestigious Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, given to emerging leaders within the national disability community. Also in 2013, she was named a Champion of Change by the White House and had an opportunity to participate in a roundtable discussion with President Obama about disability policy issues.

“I am extremely honored and humbled by this appointment as well as the opportunity to serve our country,” Forber-Pratt said in a statement. “From my U of I days, I distinctly remember being explicitly taught that we had an obligation as alums to make the world a better place and to be ambassadors, especially for the broader disability community. Dr. Timothy Nugent taught us that, and my coach Adam Bleakney and others reinforced that every day—it was always more than just our athletic journey or just our academic journey. Many of us have found our own unique ways to embody that—I believe serving as Director of the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living and Rehabilitation Research is one way that I will continue to try to serve the broader disability community and educate others. I believe my collective training—with two degrees in Speech & Hearing Sciences as well as my PhD in education that taught me the analytic research skills—it truly is the combination of these degrees and U of I experiences and my own lived experiences as a proud disabled alum that position me well to transition into this role.”

Forber-Pratt served as principal investigator for research projects covering a range of disability issues, including training of special education teachers, experiences of students with disabilities at every education level, and identity development. She has authored 33 peer-reviewed journal articles and is the author or co-author of a number of textbook chapters.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: alumni, Anjalia Forber-Pratt

Kinesiology senior Casey Cushing talks campus during COVID

May 11, 2021 | Ethan Simmons

Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Casey Cushing, who graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology.

Q: Why did you pick KCH?

A: I picked KCH because it was a great program at a university that offered me so many benefits compared to other universities. I knew by being in this program that I would gain the basic knowledge to continue on to occupational therapy graduate programs.

Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: There were multiple professors that I really enjoyed having and that made an impact on experience. Dr. (Steve) Petruzzello created such a fun and engaging learning environment and was always willing to help his students so they could be more successful. I worked as an assistant in Dr. (Kevin) Richards’ research lab for the past three years. He helped me grow as a researcher and student, always had so much confidence in me and provided me with opportunities that I could have never imagined! I’m so grateful for them and all the other professors I had along the way.

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: My favorite course was KIN340, which Dr. (Petruzzello) taught. I liked the content of the course, as well as the lab. The information we learned in lab was useful and my TA was amazing. I also really enjoyed this class because I was able to develop friendships with my peers.

Q: Did you enter KCH knowing your career path, or did KCH help you decide?

A: I entered KCH planning to go to occupational therapy school. However, KCH reinforced my interest in the field and provided opportunities to get more involved within the OT community.

Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?

A: I will be attending (Illinois-Chicago) for a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: My favorite on campus experience was being on the quad on a beautiful spring day when it is busy with students. I loved finding a good spot to hammock and relaxing with friends.

Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?

A: Because of the pandemic, I really missed in-person classes. I don’t enjoy online classes as much because it is not as easy to foster the relationships with friends, TAs, and professors that I value so much.

Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and during COVID?

A: I am definitely not socializing on campus as much as I did before COVID. I always loved walking around, seeing familiar faces, engaging in campus events, but because of the pandemic I haven’t been doing this stuff as much.

Q: What would you say to recommend KCH to a prospective student?

A: I would 100 percent recommend KCH to a prospective student. Since KCH is within a small college, you feel like you get a personalized education which is very comforting when college can be such a scary change. The professors and other students are great and it will provide you the opportunities you need to succeed in the future!

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Tags: alumni, Casey Cushing, COVID-19, Steve Petruzzello

SHS grad student Emma Boat talks about her program, campus and COVID

May 17, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Students are attending college in a unique environment, and that includes students in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois. The AHS communications staff spoke with AHS seniors about online classes, truncated courses and how COVID-19 changed their expectations. Today, we speak with Emma Boat, who is graduating in May with a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology.

Q: Why did you pick SHS?

A: I chose Speech and Hearing Sciences because I love to use communication to connect with people. I want to help people who struggle to communicate to build their speech and language skills so they too can make connections and express their wants and needs.

Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: Every single one of the SHS professors made an impact on me. I feel like I’ve learned from some of the most knowledgeable, passionate people in the field and I’m so grateful for every class. Jennifer Dahman has made a huge impact on me. She has so much passion and love for the field, and she finds a way to make even the driest topics meaningful. If I ever had a day when I was feeling uninspired, a class or client with Jen would always remind me of why I chose speech pathology.

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: My favorite course was probably Cognitive Communication Disorders, taught by Dr. Raksha Mudar. The topics were interesting, the class was discussion-based and engaging, and Dr. Mudar is so intelligent and shared so much valuable knowledge and insight with us.

Q: Did you enter SHS knowing your career path, or did SHS help you decide?

A: I came into SHS knowing I want to be a Speech-Language Pathologist, but my experiences in SHS, both within the classroom and in different clinical settings, exposed me to the diverse settings and roles within the field. All these experiences helped me learn what I’m most passionate about and where I want to take my career.

Q: What do you hope to do after you graduate?

A: I hope to work with kids in a private practice or school setting in Chicago.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: Right before COVID, my roommate and I went to a basketball game against Maryland. It was such a blast feeling the energy and cheering on the Illini, and it really made us feel like a part of the university!

Q: What do you miss most because of the pandemic?

A: The thing I miss most is being in class with my cohort. We are a small cohort of about 30 students, so we all became really close before the pandemic. We all would’ve loved to have one more class together in-person before graduation, but I’m thankful for the time we had before the pandemic.

Q: What are the biggest changes on campus, pre and post-COVID?

A: Before COVID, campus was always lively and energetic. People were always out and the energy was so fun. Immediately after COVID, campus lost that energy and became more isolated. Slowly but surely, campus has returned to its pre-COVID state.

Q: What would you say to recommend SHS to a prospective student?

A: When I entered the SHS department, I was coming from a different school and didn’t know anyone in the department. I immediately felt welcomed by the faculty and my new classmates. After just a few weeks, I felt comfortable and supported. In SHS, we all have different interests and goals, but with a shared love of speech and language. It’s a community of kind, open-minded, passionate people, so it’s been a special experience. I would highly recommend SHS to anyone who’s open-minded, ready to work hard and learn, and is interested in the field.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Tags: alumni, COVID-19, Emma Boat

Community Health student feels confident about return to in-person instruction

April 26, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Student is also EMT and administers vaccines

*Nick Olivieri is an EMT and can give vaccines (Stock image)*

Nick Olivieri is a senior in the University of Illinois’ College of Applied Health Sciences, and expects to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in community health in May. But if he was returning to school in the fall—when UIUC and many other schools are expecting to return to in-person instruction in the midst of the pandemic—he would be looking forward to it.

“100 percent,” said Olivieri, an Orland Park, Ill., native. “U of I has put on an example for the rest of the nation. I get tested multiple times a week, and if people continue to do that, I don’t see a reason why I can’t be sitting next to my fellow classmates once we all know we’ve had some negatives. People are going to get vaccinated. I don’t see why our campus can’t be back in person, and people will actually get the real U of I experience that they thought they would when they signed up to come to the school.”

Part of the reason Olivieri is so confident is that, as a licensed Emergency Medical Technician, he is eligible to administer COVID-19 vaccines. As part of his graduation requirement, Olivieri is doing an internship as a medical assistant at Frances Nelson Health Center, a walk-in clinic in Champaign, where UIUC is based.

“One of the first things they said my first day on the internship, was like, ‘OK, cool. You got your EMT license. You are eligible to give the vaccine,’” he said. “And it took a bit of asking after that. But eventually a slower day around the clinic, so one of the physician’s assistants brought me over to the vaccination clinic, and he let me do it. And only through this internship would I be able to do that, which I’m grateful for.”

Not that Olivieri—who has himself gotten vaccinated—didn’t have some hesitation about putting needles into arms.

“Well, I won’t lie. When I first was approached, asked to do it, I was a little hesitant. I didn’t have any previous experience giving shots, but I knew someone would be training me. And I’ve always learned throughout EMS that you’re only going to learn through actually doing it. You can’t overthink it.”

Most people age 16 and older in Central Illinois are now eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, and Frances Nelson is administering vaccines to “almost anyone who asks,” Olivieri said. Still, some are naturally concerned about taking the needle or the potential side effects.

“There are cases where people get a wave of anxiety or fear,” he said. “And these people, we take them to the side and we try to calm them down by just like talking to them. Because these bad reactions, they’re very rare. But I do tell these people that I take this vaccine. And every institution worth their while in the U.S. opts for the vaccine. And I think it’s a civil duty getting it.”

In his role as an EMT and at Frances Nelson, Olivieri is an obvious choice for classmates and friends to come to for advice.

“I am somewhat knowledgeable about health care, and I’ve taken enough science classes to know how the vaccine works,” he said. “But I’m still no expert on this whatsoever. (Classmates) do ask me questions about the vaccine. And I have nothing but good to say about it. I’m pretty confident in the safety of it. (But) with the collective knowledge of all the scientists in America, the CDC is the best source.”

Olivieri added that he will not “baby-sit” his fellow classmates about their behavior on campus.

“It is frustrating to see a large group of campus going out every weekend, things like that,” he said. “But people are also in control of their own decisions. But I would say yes, it is a bit frustrating when people do not follow such recommendations given by the CDC and university.”

Olivieri is quick to point out that he wouldn’t be in the position he’s in without his AHS training.

“You can enter many different fields through Community Health, and they kind of give you a good way of thinking about health care,” he said. “I wanted to help people in health care, but I wasn’t really sure in what way. Community Health at AHS really helps you learn about all the types of positions throughout the health system.”

Olivieri already has had a number of experiences for someone of his age. Yet, he has big plans ahead.

“I want to get a job at an ambulance company, but also look for other jobs in a clinical setting. I want to do that for a couple of years and hopefully take the (Medical College Admission Test), do well, and gain admission into medical school.”

With his training, Olivieri is well on his way.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni

Alumni Spotlight—Eric Seper

April 20, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Alumni of the College of Applied Health Sciences have myriad career options thanks to the tremendous diversity of programs. We periodically will put the spotlight on an alum to find out what they’re doing now, what experiences they had and what AHS means to them. This week, we talk to Eric Seper, who graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science, and in 2013 with a Doctor of Audiology degree. He is currently a clinical audiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine.

Q: Why did you pick AHS?

A: I chose AHS because I knew I wanted to be in a healthcare field. The college has a family-like aspect, which was very welcoming. As I began my AHS coursework, I learned that the school was tight-knit and filled with bright individuals working towards a common goal.

Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: Could I say all of them?! My first class in the department was an introduction to communication disorders and was taught by Dr. David Gooler. His teaching style resonated with me and many of my classmates. Dr. Gooler co-chaired my doctoral capstone project along with another influential professor—Dr. Ron Chambers. Dr. Chambers was available to speak with me as I decided upon a doctoral program in Audiology. He helped make the transition into graduate school easy and less intimidating than I anticipated. Our clinical supervisors—Lou Chambers and Carol Parker—taught me countless clinical lessons that I still employ today!

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: I completed two semesters of American Sign Language in the department and wish I had started sooner so I could complete the third course while an undergraduate. The instructors were thoughtful and great at understanding what each student needed to work on. Learning another language is powerful, especially when you are able to use that language to communicate with others in everyday situations.

Q: Did you enter AHS knowing your career path, or did AHS help you decide?

A: I entered AHS with the intention of learning more about speech-language pathology and audiology—AHS helped me decide from there. My first course introduced various communication disorders from both fields. Once the audiology portion began, I immediately knew that this was what I wanted to pursue long-term.

Q: Did your AHS experience lead to your current job?

A: Yes! AHS helped craft my professional experience in multiple ways. I developed strong clinical skills under the clinical leadership on campus. I still employ many lessons in the professional clinic today. The smaller, family-like atmosphere in AHS helped make me more comfortable with public speaking; the doctoral capstone project was a major learning process. That project allowed me to feel more comfortable in a research-based position where I authored and co-authored peer-reviewed journal articles. I also felt much more confident speaking at conferences following my experiences in AHS.

Q: What is your current job?

A: I am currently a clinical audiologist at the University of Chicago Medicine. I see mostly adult patients and we are fortunate to offer diagnostic audiology, cochlear implant services, vestibular evaluations, and hearing aid services to our patients. Seeing all these different disciplines—sometimes all in the same day—is a thrill. I am extremely fortunate to work alongside a tremendously skilled team of audiologists, physicians, and speech-language pathologists.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: If I need to pick only one, then graduating from the Doctor of Audiology program was a special day. Everybody graduating (from all programs) put in an amazing amount of work to develop skills and understanding in a particular field. For my Audiology classmates and I, we spent eight years honing our skills. Our hard work was rewarded with degrees and the trust that we will be strong practitioners in the field.

Q: What would you say to recommend AHS to a prospective student?

A: AHS is dedicated towards making sure students feel comfortable in the college. They are interested in developing strong students, but also strong societal contributors. I highly recommend AHS!

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni, Alumni Spotlight, Eric Seper

Alumni Spotlight—Brian Smith

March 15, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Alumni of the College of Applied Health Sciences have myriad career options thanks to the tremendous diversity of programs. We periodically will put the spotlight on an alum to find out what they’re doing now, what experiences they had and what AHS means to them. This week, we talk to Brian Smith, who got his bachelor’s degree in 2005 in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism Management, and got his master’s in Sports Management in 2007. Currently, Smith is a digital strategist and social media manager at an advertising agency.

Q: Why did you pick AHS?

A: I just had and still do a real passion for sports, concerts, and events. I love the idea of working as a team to accomplish goals, problem solve, and to put something on that’s fun for people. I also enjoy the rush of the moment of things like live events that are happening in real time.

Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: Professors Ryan Gower and Michael Raycraft, because they made learning fun. And as a disabled individual with a speech impediment, they made me feel very welcome and treated me just like any other student.

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: It was a long time ago so I don’t remember the names, but basically the ones that dealt directly with sport and event management.

Q: Did you enter AHS knowing your career path, or did AHS help you decide?

A: They helped me decide. I was debating between going into sports management or just a business degree.

Q: Did your AHS experience lead to your current job?

A: Unfortunately no. After I graduated I had went through some physical changes due to my disability, which hindered some of my capabilities, so my job search took some twists and turns.

Q: What is your current job?

A: I’m a digital strategist and social media manager at an advertising agency.

Q: When did you graduate and with what degree?

A: I got my bachelor’s degree in ‘05 in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism Management. I got my master’s in Sports Management in ‘07.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: I just enjoyed being a part of a major university and there’s nothing like a Big Ten atmosphere, and all the great friends I made. One great memory I have is celebrating the ‘05 Final Four basketball team.

Q: What would you say to recommend AHS to a prospective student?

A: You won’t regret your time at U of I and the College of AHS.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni, Alumni Spotlight, Brian Smith

Alumni Spotlight—Megan McKenna

March 08, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Alumni of the College of Applied Health Sciences have myriad career options thanks to the tremendous diversity of programs. We periodically will put the spotlight on an alum to find out what they’re doing now, what experiences they had and what AHS means to them. This week, we talk to Megan McKenna, who got her B.S. in Speech & Hearing Science in 2011 and her clinical M.A. in Speech & Hearing Science in 2013. Currently, McKenna is a pediatric speech-language pathologist and certified autism specialist at two suburban hospitals within Northwestern Medicine.

Q: Why did you pick AHS?

A: After graduating from high school, I started my undergraduate studies at a small liberal arts college and quickly found that it wasn’t the right fit for me. Knowing that I wanted to become a speech-language pathologist, I quickly discovered that the University of Illinois had a well-respected Speech & Hearing Science department. I was fortunate enough to be accepted and start at Illinois for the second semester of my freshman year. I was worried about the change from such a small college to a large university, but I found that AHS was the perfect balance. My classes within AHS were smaller than my general education courses, so I felt I had a better opportunity to really retain coursework and get to know my professors and classmates. I also ended up becoming very interested in research, and AHS allowed me to participate in research as an undergraduate and graduate student. That is definitely not an option at many other universities!

Q. Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: Dr. Pamela Hadley was incredibly impactful during my time in AHS and beyond. It was in her undergraduate class on child language that I became fascinated by the language development process in young children, and I was drawn to her passion on the topic. I ended up completing my James Scholar Honors project, writing a master’s thesis, and working as a research assistant all under her guidance! Since my graduation, we have co-authored a paper together in one of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s journals. I also enjoyed courses with Dr. Cynthia Johnson and Dr. Raksha Anand Mudar.

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: I really enjoyed most of my courses within the SHS department but also the courses I took from other departments in AHS for my interdisciplinary minor. My favorite courses focused on child language, language disorders, and language and the brain. I also loved completing independent study coursework as part of my James Scholar project because I was able to build experiences specific to my interests.

Q: Did you enter AHS knowing your career path, or did AHS help you decide?

A: When I started college, I already knew I wanted to study to become a speech-language pathologist, but I had a particular interest in working with the adult population. I even completed an interdisciplinary minor in Aging Studies within AHS! However, after my interest in child language and development was peeked in course and experience working in the Applied Psycholinguistics Laboratory within SHS, I became convinced that working with the pediatric population was actually a better fit for me. My experiences within AHS helped me to identify my true passion and guide me to the career I have now.

Q: Did your AHS experience lead to your current job?

A: My experiences in AHS and the department of SHS really helped me to identify my passion for working with the pediatric population. I had the opportunity to begin clinical hours in speech therapy as a senior and continued into graduate school. I was able to be placed in a wide range of clinical assignments—far more than other SLPs I know that attended other schools. I felt really confident in my clinical skills when I started my first job as an SLP in the Illinois public schools. After 4 years working in schools, I transitioned to the outpatient clinic setting. I know that all of my clinical experiences within AHS gave me the background I needed to be successful across these different settings, and my coursework and research experiences made me comfortable applying evidence-based practice and pursuing new responsibilities, training, and certifications.

Q: What is your current job?

A: I am a pediatric speech-language pathologist and certified autism specialist at two suburban hospitals within Northwestern Medicine. I specialize in providing speech therapy to pediatric patients at-risk or diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but I see pediatric patients 14 months of age to 18 years of age with a wide range of diagnoses and needs. I also serve on an interdisciplinary early intervention medical diagnostic team and complete autism diagnostic assessments to support physicians’ clinical decisions. I am fortunate to be able to work closely with parents and my colleagues in other disciplines.

Q: When did you graduate and with what degree?

A: I graduated with a B.S. in Speech & Hearing Science in 2011 and with a clinical M.A. in Speech & Hearing Science in 2013.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: Where to begin?! I worked for campus housing at the front desk and as an RA, and I loved building relationships with my co-workers and the residents on the floors. So many fun times! I was also part of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and had the opportunity to volunteer on campus as well as the communities surrounding Urbana-Champaign. The University of Illinois is a busy and exciting campus—there are so many options as far as joining groups/clubs, attending events, and going out with friends! There is always something to do or somewhere to go.

Q: What would you say to recommend AHS to a prospective student?

A: AHS is a smaller college on campus, so you get to know your classmates and faculty more personally. AHS allows you to experience a more tight-knit, community feel within the large university setting that Illinois is. It’s the best of both worlds!

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Alumni Spotlight—Monique Mills

March 03, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Alumni of the College of Applied Health Sciences have myriad career options thanks to the tremendous diversity of programs. We periodically will put the spotlight on an alum to find out what they’re doing now, what experiences they had and what AHS means to them. This week, we talk to Monique Mills, who got her bachelor of science in SHS and a Ph.D. in SHS. Currently, Mills is an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at the University of Houston.

Q: Why did you pick AHS?

A: After taking a class in Special Education, titled Exceptional Children, I decided that I wanted to become a speech-language pathologist, to help persons who are nonverbal communicate. This led me to begin taking courses in Speech & Hearing Science.

Q: Which professors had the most impact on you?

A: All of my professors impacted me. Most especially Dr. Ruth Watkins, my doctoral advisor and Dr. Adele Proctor, who first introduced me to subject I’ve been studying since: narrative assessment in school-age African-American children. My dissertation committee deeply influenced my thinking around qualitative research methods (Anne Hass Dyson) and how African-American English was presented in children’s literature (Violet Harris, Betsy Hearne). Then, there were professors within my department who influenced me through their stellar teaching (Cynthia Thompson) and clinical research (Pam Hadley).

Q: What course did you most enjoy?

A: As an undergraduate, I most enjoyed courses in SHS that focused on child language development. I also quite enjoyed the Kinesiology course on ice skating that I took with a friend. As a doctoral student, I most enjoyed coursework in Curriculum & Instruction because I met an interdisciplinary group of friend I remain in touch with. I also very much enjoyed learning situation modeling from Elizabeth Stein-Morrow in Psychology.

Q: Did you enter AHS knowing your career path, or did AHS help you decide?

A: I knew that I was interested in speech-language pathology. It’s interesting, Education led me to AHS.

Q: Did your AHS experience lead to your current job?

A: Yes, I majored in Speech & Hearing Science (SHS) in the undergrad program at UIUC, the master’s program at Ohio State University, and the doctoral program at UIUC.

Q: What is your current job?

A: Currently, I’m an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders.

Q: When did you graduate and with what degree?

A: I graduated with a bachelor of science in SHS and a PhD in SHS from UIUC. So I have two degrees from AHS. At the time, it was ALS.

Q: What was your favorite on-campus experience?

A: My favorite on-campus experience was partaking in all of the yummy food on Green Street and strolling across the quad, of course.

Q: What would you say to recommend AHS to a prospective student?

A: I would say AHS values excellence. As an undergraduate student I was on the Dean’s list a lot, and it felt good to be appreciated publicly in receptions at mom’s day weekend.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

Tags: alumni, Alumni Spotlight

Public health training gives chaplain a different perspective

Jan. 19, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Systematic reviews have found that religion is associated with decreases in depression, faster recovery from depression, less drug dependence, less drug abuse, better physical health, longer life, and an increased sense of purpose, well-being, hope and optimism

Kristin Godlin is an ordained Presbyterian minister and a chaplain at Carle and OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana. She’s also a PhD candidate in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois.

That confluence gives Godlin a unique perspective in her role, but one she hopes doesn’t remain unique for long. Godlin’s research looks at the connection between religiosity and public health. Godlin, an alum of the Master of Public Health in AHS, said, “From a health standpoint, religion functions primarily as a means of helping people to cope with stress.”

Chaplains provide spiritual and emotional support to patients and their families. While most chaplains are themselves religious, they care for people of all faiths, as well as people who are not religious. Within the context of hospital emergency departments, chaplains additionally serve as a kind of go-between for staff members, patients, and their families. They also facilitate meetings between families and physicians.

But the public health portion of the job is one that is still quite new, even for Godlin. At the time she was board certified as a chaplain, there was an announcement made at the Association of Professional Chaplains’ annual conference that the Templeton Foundation had provided a group of chaplaincy leaders called Transforming Chaplaincy a grant of $4.5 million for the purposes of helping to train chaplains to become more research literate. The idea, Godlin said, was that if chaplains were more research literate, they would be better able to guide and evaluate and advocate for their profession.

The money could be used to encourage chaplaincy training programs to include in their curricula courses and lessons in research methodology and statistics, or how to read and understand research, Godlin said. But also, a significant part of the grant was to enable 16 board-certified chaplains the opportunity to pursue Master of Public Health degrees or Master of Science degrees for the purposes of learning how to not only read research but to generate research to support chaplaincy.

“I didn’t know hardly anything about public health when I started,” Godlin said. “I was a blank slate coming in. I think, particularly now that we have been going through the pandemic, I have a much greater understanding of what public health is all about and why they are approaching things the way they did than I ever would have before. And I really do think that’s an extraordinarily important part of the training, which I didn’t realize at the time I was getting it.”

The connection of religion and public health is particularly timely, Godlin said, because of COVID-19. Godlin recently came across a study which found that religiosity was negatively associated with intention to be vaccinated. “It was a sad commentary on how people who are more religious are less likely to take protective health measures,’ she said. “It caused me to think about how important it is for religious leaders to have an understanding of what public health is all about.

“And the National Association for the Advancement of Science has recently started made a significant effort to try to introduce science into the core curricula of divinity schools and seminaries across America. I can see, especially during the pandemic, how important that is for religious leaders to understand how science works and why public health professionals are making the recommendations that they are.”

Godlin, who grew up in Champaign-Urbana, earned two masters’ degrees from Yale Divinity School after doing her undergrad at Northwestern. But she returned to the area and trained as a chaplain and that’s when she got the research grant. At that point, she reached out to KCH assistant professor Robyn Gobin, because of Gobin’s interest in religion and spirituality and its effect on mental health.

“Dr. Gobin,” Godlin said, “has been an extraordinarily helpful mentor and partner along the way.”

“I shifted into the MPH-PhD program to focus more on research,” Godlin said. “Over the past few years, the focus of my research has been on the use of religion in coping with domestic violence. Studies find that up to 97% of women who experience domestic violence turn to God for help; so particularly for that population, religion is exceptionally important. My goal is to help religious leaders, chaplains, counselors, and therapists to strengthen their spiritual support for survivors, to help survivors to use their religion more effectively, and ultimately to improve survivors’ physical and mental health outcomes.”

Overall, Godlin believes the marriage of religion and public health through chaplaincy can help close the gap on misinformation.

“For the vast majority of people who have a religious background, when you say you are a chaplain, it opens doors that do not open for other people. And so people share things that they would not—patients share things and family members share things that they would not ordinarily share with other people.”

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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MSHA alum Zaid Ahmed talks about his COVID-19 contact tracing work

Dec. 06, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Students in the Master of Science in Health Administration program in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois have been asked by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Dept. to apply the skills they are learning as contact tracers. Periodically, we will speak with them about how they are doing in these roles. Today, we speak with Zaid Ahmed.

Q: Is the work you’re doing for CUPHD different than what you were trained for in the MSHA program?

A: I would say that the work I did for CUPHD wasn’t really different from the MSHA, per se. Contact tracing is essentially just calling infected cases and close contacts to gather information on their symptoms, job status, family information etc. It isn’t really like anything I learned in my MSHA program but I know that my role is a small part of the study of epidemiology. I’m not applying anything from my academics but I am just a part of the epidemiological system, if that makes sense.

Q: What field/industry were you hoping to work in upon graduation?

A: I was hoping to work in the data/technology/analytics side of healthcare upon graduation.

Q: What kinds of questions do you ask in the work you’re currently doing?

A: I ask people who they’ve come into contact with, if their family members have any chronic disease that makes them vulnerable to COVID-19, basic information like address and birthdays, and whether or not they’ve experienced any symptoms.

Q: Do you find people are willing to respond truthfully?

A: People have been pretty truthful with me.

Q: Any frustrations that people are not listening to the health guidelines?

A: There have been several people who were frustrated with their two-week quarantine and some people have admitted to breaking it by going out somewhere. It is frustrating, but I can’t police them 24/7.

Q: Do people you know ask you for advice on dealing with COVID-19?

A: People have not asked me for COVID advice but they have asked where the cases are concentrated so they know to avoid those locations.

Q: What are you missing out on because of the pandemic, in terms of working face-to-face with people?

A: I’m missing out on the opportunity to see my fellow MSHA students and the ability to meet my professors in person.

Q: What ways has COVID-19 affected you? Have you traveled? Have you been able to go home, see family?

A: COVID made my dad lose his job although he’s managed to find another job. I haven’t been able to see my cousins in a long time. I have been spending these past few months at home with family so it hasn’t been all bad.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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