I decided to pursue a career in Audiology during my junior year at IU. I, like many of you, had little idea what an Audiologist was or did. I really enjoyed the undergraduate class taught by Jeff Cokely, Ph.D. When I took that class it was “like a light bulb went off” and I had better clarity about the profession of Audiology and the science of sound and hearing.

The audiology class was a part of the curriculum in the Speech and Hearing tract I was exploring. I had taken an interest in speech because of my exposure to my paternal grandfather’s severe stroke and rehab at the VA. He was a member of the “greatest generation”, helped liberate Europe, and returned home to raise a family and build a great country.

Interestingly, the early audiologists were trained as speech therapists and worked with soldiers exposed to excessive noise during combat. Hearing aids at that time benefited from the technology developed for radio communication during the war.

I am privileged to be a member of a profession with such a legacy. For his perseverance and faith when he was young, and when he was old, my Grandpa remains an influential hero to me.