UofM Student Karissa Terry Wins National Audiology Award

Third-year University of Memphis audiology student Karissa Terry is kicking off summer with a splash. This month, she was announced as the lone recipient of the Audiology Excellence Award from the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA). 

“(The award) is an incredible honor that affirms my passion for audiology and my commitment to serving others through this field,” Terry said. “To be recognized for all the contributions I have put forth, it was an extreme honor.” 

“This is a big deal,” said Dr. Linda Jarmulowicz, dean of UofM’ School of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). “(NSSLHA) is the only national pre-professional student organization recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, which is our professional and accrediting organization.” 

With more than 350 NSSLHA chapters nationwide, the award is a competitive process. Nominees can either be self-nominated or submitted by faculty sponsors or fellow students. For Terry, it was both. She nominated herself after being pushed to do so by NSSLHA leadership, following a regional Mid-South conference, and one of her advisors, Dr. Jennifer Taylor, also nominated her. 

“Karissa has known since she arrived at school what kind of student she wanted to be and has worked hard to achieve her goals,” said Taylor. “She began this program with intentionality, a willingness to work hard and pursue her dreams. She knows that hard work academically and clinically is a worthwhile goal.” 

“Being recognized at the national level reinforces my belief in the importance of student leadership and community engagement,” Terry said. 

Leadership has certainly been a part of Terry’s time at Memphis. Not only was she the president of UofM’s NSSLHA chapter for the 2024-25 school year, but she also served as the student state officer for Tennessee, which means she represented the chapters at  East Tennessee State University, Freed-Hardeman,  Middle Tennessee State University, Tennessee State University, University of Tennessee Health Science Center and Vanderbilt when reporting to NSSLHA’s executive council. 

“Clinically, Karissa has an ability to make all her clients and their families feel comfortable,” Taylor added. “She works to build an immediate rapport and treats all her patients with the utmost care. Karissa’s caring attitude and preparedness make working with her a joy.” 

“From the moment I began my journey as a student, I’ve been driven to not only deepen my clinical knowledge but also to advocate for my peers and for individuals with hearing loss,” said Terry. “This award represents the culmination of many hours spent volunteering, leading student initiatives and striving to create inclusive, supportive environments in both academic and clinical settings.  

The Audiology Excellence Award includes a $500 scholarship. In addition to Terry’s honor, the UofM chapter was recently recognized as a Gold Chapter by NSSLHA, the highest designation a chapter can receive.