Communicative Disorders Alumna Wins University’s First Graduate Teaching Assistant Award

By Angie Lewis

Christine Carmichael received the Award for Excellence by a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) at the university’s first Graduate Awards held March 23. Carmichael graduated last fall with an M.A. in communicative disorders from the College of Health and Public Affairs.

The award, which carries a $1,000 prize, recognizes GTAs who are responsible for a laboratory, or other similar teaching assignment, under the direction of a faculty member who serves as the instructor of record. It focuses on the quality of the assistance provided by the GTA to the lead instructor and students in the class.

Carmichael’s teaching assignments were Speech Science I (Speech Production) and II (Speech Perception). Her mentors included Assistant Professor Bari Hoffman Ruddy, Professor Jack Ryalls, and Chair and Professor Jane Lieberman.

Ryalls said Carmichael helped develop the department’s speech labs by obtaining the necessary professional software that allows students to get hands-on experience on state-of-the-art equipment. “She was very independent and a self starter,” he said.

Besides the Award for Excellence by a Graduate Teaching Assistant, Carmichael has previously been honored as a presenter at the Parkinson’s Disease Support Group in 2003. She will also be presenting at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (ASHA) 2004 National Convention at the end of the year and has an article submission in progress with Chest.

In the meantime, Carmichael is pursuing her Ph.D. in the Department of Communication Processes and Disorders at the University of Florida, with support from the Veteran’s Health Administration Pre-Doctoral Fellowship.