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16 October 2006 Longwood hosts ribbon-cutting for new master's degree program
Longwood University celebrated the opening of its new master’s degree program in communication sciences and disorders with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, October 7. The ceremony took place in the new Longwood Center for Communication, Literacy, and Learning (LCCLL) located at Third and Main Streets. Four full-time graduate students currently enrolled in the program will complete their clinical work in the center. Participating in the ceremony were Longwood President Dr. Patricia Cormier; Dr. Lissa Power-deFur, chair of the department of education, special education, social work, and communication disorders; Dr. Wayne McWee, vice president for academic affairs; and Dr. Deneese Jones, dean of the College of Education and Human Services. Guests included Longwood students, faculty, staff; advisory committee members; and community members. Following the ceremony, guests toured the center and talked with graduate students and faculty members involved in the program. “I feel so good that we are able to offer this important service,” said Dr. Cormier. “The students and the community will benefit tremendously from the work that will be performed here.” The center is housed in third floor office space that was once occupied by the Bank of America. The 4,000-square-foot area has been completely renovated to meet the needs of the center and features a large reception area; six therapy/tutoring rooms with adjacent observation rooms; a preschool language and literacy room with observation room; an office; a conference/classroom; and a workroom with eight computer stations. All rooms have audio/video recording equipment, enabling faculty supervisors to observe sessions from a viewing room. The walls of the center are adorned with a variety of works by student artists from Eureka Elementary School, Charlotte County Public Schools, and Fuqua School. Children’s books and learning toys also contribute to the welcoming atmosphere for clients and guests. “Our professors have worked tremendously hard to get this program up and running,” said Matthew Eiban, a native of Rice who earned his B.S. in communication sciences and disorders from James Madison University in 2005. “Because of their vision and determination, this center has been transformed from an empty building to a warm and vibrant clinic. Our therapy closet is fully stocked with therapy materials designed especially for infants, toddlers, and school-aged children and we are currently working on getting more adult therapy materials. This facility has made it possible for me to dive into the program head first, and I am confident that it will be a major asset to the community.” The other full-time students are Jessica McAlexander, Emily Thomas, and Jillian Wallace. The LCCLL is an interdisciplinary center where students enrolled in the new master’s program will complete their clinical work by providing speech and language services to the community. The graduate students work under the supervision of licensed and experienced faculty and clinical supervisors who provide ongoing, direct supervision of all assessment and intervention activities. The LCCLL is the only university-based provider of its kind in the Southside region. For 40 years Longwood has awarded bachelor’s degrees to graduates of the Communication Sciences and Disorders program. With the opening of its master’s program, Longwood becomes the sixth university in Virginia to offer advanced degrees to future speech-language pathologists. The Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Longwood has been awarded candidacy status by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. As part of the graduate program, master’s degree students are required to provide diagnostic and therapy services with children, adolescents, and adults with articulation problems, language delays, voice disorders, stuttering, and language problems resulting from stroke or other brain injury. Fee schedules for evaluation and therapy are available on request and a sliding fee scale is available to those who qualify. Future offerings at the LCCLL include tutoring, courses in parenting skills, anger management, counseling, and more. For additional information call 434.395.2972 or |
