08/26/2026
The University of Iowa Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic is proud to not only provide exceptional care for individuals with speech, language, voice, and hearing needs, but to also train the next generation of communication professionals. Our clinic hosts several summer programs, including Communication Explorers, which focuses on building communication skills for children ages 3-6 with hearing loss. Individualized treatment plans are developed for each child and targeted in both group and 1:1 therapy sessions. We would like to highlight one of the Communication Explorers participants, Lily, who recently completed the program this summer. To learn more about their experience, check out her parent's testimonial below! ⬇️
“Lily’s students and supervising clinician have been an important part of her support team. They work closely with her audiologist, her teacher of the deaf and hard of hearing, and her school speech-language pathologist to ensure everyone is communicating and working toward the same goals. They also make sure Lily's hearing devices are functioning properly so she has the support she needs across all settings. I truly appreciate their collaboration, communication, and genuine interest in Lily's progress and our family's perspective. Their dedication gives me confidence that Lily is receiving thoughtful, coordinated care, and I am grateful for everything they do to help her reach her full potential. We have seen a huge increase in her cochlear implant wear time and speech development since beginning at the University. The University of Iowa Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic stands out because of its family-centered approach, individualized care, and commitment to using current research to guide treatment.”
Lily’s graduate student clinicians, Emma Donnely (SLP) and Sofia Hall (AuD), reflect on their experience as well:
Emma: “It was wonderful to work with Lily and her family, and I’m so grateful to have learned so much from them! I am grateful to have gained clinical experience at the University of Iowa Speech, Language and Hearing Clinic as I have had the opportunity to have hands-on experience with clients of all different lived experiences, including individuals who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and/or are cochlear implant users.”
Sofia: “I love that our clinic does Communication Explorers because I got to work with the most amazing kids! I was able to see how intertwined the goals of SLPs and audiologists can be and how much we can learn from each other. There was so much sign and spoken English being used all of the time that I felt I really began to expand upon the ASL I learned in undergrad. I am so excited for the next students who get to have an incredible summer with the greatest kids just like I did!”
