05/13/2026
We are honored to share that SMS parent Mary Beall was the commencement speaker for the Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Department Graduation Recognition Ceremony at the University of Colorado Boulder on May 2, 2026. Mary was invited by Christine Brennan, a PRISMS Professional Advisory Board member and assistant professor at CU Boulder.
Mary shared her daughter’s journey of communication development and reflected on the many challenges (and successes) their family navigated throughout her schooling and beyond. She highlighted the critical role of speech-language pathologists, audiologists, educators, and other clinicians in supporting individuals with communication needs and their families across the lifespan.
Her message helped graduates connect their academic training to the real-world impact of compassionate, thoughtful, and collaborative care. Mary also capitalized on the opportunity to increase awareness and understanding of Smith-Magenis syndrome with future clinicians and their families.
It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the graduates as they begin the next chapter of their journey, to bridge academic learning with real-world clinical practice, and to share information about Smith-Magenis syndrome with future clinicians and their families.
Thank you, Mary, for inspiring these graduates and reminding them of the reasons they chose to pursue degrees in speech, language, and hearing sciences. And thank you for reminding all of us of the impact that dedicated clinicians can make on the lives of individuals and families.
