Name
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)About
Location
MarylandOrganization/Facility
Health CareWebsite
ASHAASHA's Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP)
Initiative Categories
Focus Areas
- Leadership
Summary
The Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP) was established in 1999 and takes place during the ASHA Convention. The event's purpose is to provide a forum for students who have been historically underrepresented in CSD to come together to
- experience and participate in a set of leadership-focused educational programs and activities of the annual ASHA Convention;
- build and enhance minoritized students’ leadership skills;
- learn and understand how the Association works; and
- provide an opportunity for minoritized students to interact with leaders in the professions of audiology, speech-language pathology, and speech, language, and hearing sciences.
Initially eligible applicants included undergraduate seniors and master's students. Over the years, the program’s application eligibility criteria evolved to include
- PhD students (as of 2005)
- AuD students (as of 2006), and
- SLPD students (as of 2023).
The MSLP started by awarding 30 students, but ASHA increased that number to 40 students in order to give more students the opportunity to gain leadership skills. Participants who are accepted into the MSLP receive complementary ASHA Convention registration, up to 6 days' hotel accommodations, a stipend, and program materials.
During the week, participants engage in a variety of leadership and team-building activities—culminating in a reviewed team presentation that addresses an issue relevant to CSD.
The MSLP will celebrate 25 years in 2024. Over the years, alumni have served in leadership roles—including on ASHA committees and boards, as CSD faculty and program directors, as state association leaders, as business owners, as ASHA staff, as leaders in national associations, and in many other capacities. More than 750 participants are alumni of the MSLP.
For More Information
See the Minority Student Leadership Program (MSLP) webpage or contact Melanie Johnson at mjohnson@asha.org.
This initiative was submitted on June 12, 2024.