Members of Communication Sciences and Disorders Department Honored

An Emerson faculty member and a graduate student in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders were honored by the Decibels Foundation May 15 at its fourth annual spring fundraiser at the Weston Golf Club.

The Decibels Foundation funds early intervention programs for children with hearing loss and their families. Emerson’s Thayer Lindsley Family-Centered Program at the Robbins Center benefits from these funds, along with the Minute Man Arc Early Intervention Program for Children with Hearing Loss in Concord, Massachusetts.

Communication Sciences and Disorders part-time faculty member Lauren Aron was awarded the Ellen Kurtzer-White Award. The Ellen Kurtzer-White Award recognizes an individual for outstanding service to deaf and hard of hearing children and their families.

Aron is an early childhood educator who has worked in the Thayer Lindsley Family-Centered Program for 17 years.

“Lauren has been an integral member of this specialized program,” said Daniel Kempler, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders professor and chair. “She has helped infants and toddlers develop social communication skills while also mentoring graduate students.”

Celina Marnie, MS ’11, received the Decibels Scholar Award. The Decibels Scholar Award is given to an outstanding graduate student in the Emerson Communication Sciences and Disorders master’s program each year as a way to encourage and support young clinicians in the field.

Marnie is the third recipient of the award. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in speech, language and hearing sciences from the University of Minnesota and entered the Emerson Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate program in fall 2009.

“Through her clinical assignment in the Thayer Lindsley Program in the Robbins Center, Celina has developed a special interest in working with the deaf and hard of hearing populations and learning how to support their families,” said Kempler.