SPAA SCHOLARSHIPS

The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology has two types of scholarship opportunities available to students.  The first type are those opportunities provided through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  The second type are those awards that are provided directly from the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.

SPAA SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

At Ball State, 80 percent of our students are eligible for financial aid.  The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships provides annual academic awards to students that are both need-based, as well as merit-based.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for SPAA Scholarships if they meet the award criteria.  No separate scholarship application is required.  To find out more about these types of awards you can visit the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  You can also view the award criteria for these scholarships below:

Donor

The Dr. Joe R. and Alice Pursley Scholarship was established in 2010.  It is with gratitude that Ball State and the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology provides this resource to SPAA majors in honor of Mrs. Alice Pursley, who was a graduate of the Ball State University SPAA program.

Criteria

Awards are made to juniors, seniors or graduate students majoring in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology who have a strong record of achievement as evidenced by a minimum overall and major GPA of 3.5, and a demonstrated financial need.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

Dr. Richard DiLorenzo came to Ball State University in 1970 after serving in the U.S. Navy.  Four years later, he left with a BS in Speech Pathology and Audiology and an MA in Clinical Audiology.  During his years on campus, Dr. DiLorenzo felt privileged to have many fine instructors who excelled at teaching, and who genuinely cared.  Dr. DiLorenzo chose to give back to the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology by way of this scholarship award for future professionals in the field who are interested in conducting research while completing their educational goals. 

Criteria

Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in speech pathology or audiology with an interest in completing research projects.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

This award was established as a memorial scholarship in honor of Clara McCarty.  It is with gratitude that the Department of Speech Pathology provides this resource to SPAA majors in honor of Mrs. McCarty.

Criteria

Awarded to undergraduate or graduate students in the speech pathology or audiology programs.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

This award has been established as a memorial scholarship in honor of Rebecca Ryan who was a graduate of the Ball State Speech-Language Pathology masters program.  It is with gratitude that the Department of Speech Pathology provides this resource to SPAA majors in honor of Mrs. Rebecca Ryan.

Criteria

Awarded to speech-language pathology majors.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships as funding becomes available.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

Dr. Paul Nesper came to Ball State in 1957 as a faculty member in the Department of Educational Leadership in the Teachers College.  Both he and his wife, Berniece, were very involved with the doctoral program in educational administration until his retirement.  The Nespers' interest in audiology grew from the very professional help Dr. Nesper received from the Audiology faculty, staff and students when it became necessary for him to wear hearing aids.  Professional personnel in Audiology were always more than willing to do what was necessary to keep his hearing aids in excellent working condition.  It was the Nespers' hope that providing this assistantship fund would enable doctoral level students to acquire the necessary skills and attitudes exemplified by those who helped Dr. Nesper.  The Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology appreciates the friendship of the Nespers' and their contribution to our department in establishing this fund in 2009.

Criteria

Awarded to Doctor of Audiology students.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

This award was established as a memorial scholarship in honor of Mrs. Roma Hayworth Thiry.  Mrs. Thiry was a 1930 Alumna who taught in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology for 22 years and retired in 1968.  Mrs. Thiry was instrumental in establishing the Speech and Audiology Clinic on campus and was a vital part of the growth and development of our programs.  She traveled the state and the world to provide service through outreach efforts to children and adults, and brought many new program ideas back to her home at Ball State.  It is with gratitude to Roma's family that the Department of Speech Pathology provides this resource to SPAA majors.

Criteria

Awarded to full time undergraduate or graduate students in the speech pathology or audiology programs.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Donor

This award was established as a memorial scholarship in honor of Barbara Devoe Jenkins.  It is with gratitude that the Department of Speech Pathology provides this resource to SPAA majors in honor of Ms. Devoe Jenkins.

Criteria

Awarded to junior or senior students majoring in the speech pathology or audiology programs.  Applicant must have a minimum 3.0 GPA.

Application Process

Awards for this scholarship will be disseminated annually by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.  All admitted and current students are automatically considered for these awards if they meet the award criteria.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED DIRECTLY BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY

The second type of SPAA scholarships include those awards that are provided directly from the department on an annual basis.  An application is required for these type of awards.  You can view the awards, their criteria, and application forms below:

Donor

This scholarship was established 1983 by the family of Mrs. Betty Harmon, who was an Associate Professor in the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology from 1967-1983, and who also graduated from Ball State University with both her BA (1948) and her MA (1966) degrees. Mrs. Harmon was involved with many university committees and councils, as well as serving as President of ISHA at the state level. She was posthumously presented the Ball State Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1988. To the Ball State SPAA family, Mrs. Harmon is not remembered for her state or university offices, but rather for her daily smile and words of encouragement to future professionals in the field.

Criteria

Awarded to full time graduate students in speech pathology with an accumulative GPA of 3.5.  Consistent with federal financial aid regulations, the approval process will also include a review of the student’s financial aid package to determine eligibility to receive funds.

Application Process

Students who qualify for this award may submit an application to the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.  For the 2024-25 academic year the deadline for receipt of applications is March 29, 2024.  An application for this award may be found here.

Donors

Tom and Kathy (Rosser) Van Osdol are graduates of Ball State University's Speech-Language Pathology masters program.  The Van Osdols have expressed their vision and desire to assist Speech Pathology and Audiology students in need by helping to reduce their anxieties about life concerns (e.g., housing assistance, food assistance, conference travel assistance, and miscellaneous expenses that are not affordable) and reduce the barriers for students whose goal it is to graduate from our program(s).  It is with gratitude that the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology assists the Van Osdols  in providing this resource to our SPAA majors.

Criteria

Awards are made to any student majoring in Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology.

Application Process

Students majoring in Speech Pathology and Audiology may submit an application to the Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology at any time during the school year.  Applications are reviewed by the Department Chairperson and then students are notified of their application status.  To apply, fill out this application.

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