Author: AnnMarie Ippolito
Author: AnnMarie Ippolito | Major: Communication Sciences and Disorders | Semester: Spring 2025
Hello, my name is AnnMarie Ippolito, and I am a senior in the Honors College of Education and Health Professions and am majoring in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Over the course of the 2025 Spring grant term, I have been working alongside my honors mentor, Dr. Rachel Glade, who is the program director for the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, to create the curriculum and design for a TBI support group for Arkansas residents.
Traumatic brain injury is a condition that is sometimes considered invisible, yet it has affected the lives of an overwhelming number of people around the world. The definition of a TBI can be summarized as an outside force that causes a change in the functioning of the brain. This topic is very personal to me, as someone who has had a TBI and has encountered the effects it can have on someone’s life. Equally important, as an aspiring speech-language pathologist, this topic is very interesting to me because I intend to work in a medical setting with patients who have had a TBI.
My research journey had a bit of a late start since I joined the honors college at the end of my first semester of junior year. This was because I have always had a passion for TBIs but only recently realized research was a great way to make an impact. Coincidentally, Dr. Glade was the person who told me what a fantastic place the honors college would be to explore that interest, and I am very lucky that she offered to be my mentor. Since then, I began my research titled “Mind Matters: Curriculum and Design for a 16-Week Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group Addressing the Most Prevalent and Overlooked Needs of Individuals Post-TBI”. The goal of this project was to investigate the need for traumatic brain injury (TBI) support groups, along with what curriculum and design in a TBI support group would best address relevant and overlooked issues individuals with TBIs face to improve their quality of life. To begin, I conducted a literature review that explored a variety of symptoms and secondary struggles that are common after someone has had a TBI. As well as, looking into what basic principles were recommended for a disability support group. Additionally, from May 2024 to April 2025, I attended support groups to gather data on beneficial curriculum and design to create a 16-week support group for individuals with a TBI in Northwest Arkansas.
A challenge that presented itself throughout this process was taking in all of the opportunities that come with research and deciding what realistic goals I could place on this project. Initially, I had intended to do my research project and cut it off at that. Thankfully, I expanded my horizons and applied for the research and conference travel grants, which was a wonderful opportunity. Along with this, I took this honors project to the Arkansas Speech Hearing Association Convention: We Are Family in Conway, Arkansas, during February of 2025 to defend my work. This conference was also an opportunity to present my resource to relevant professionals to add to the pool of accessible resources. Presenting at a conference was very intimidating to me as someone who has never even been to one before. For instance, I did not know how to prepare a research presentation or explain it to professionals in the field. Occasionally, I would catch myself worrying if I was equipped enough to present information to real speech pathologists as only an undergraduate student. Luckily, my committee members were helpful with guiding me through this process and reassuring me. Taking the extra steps to apply to grants and conferences was challenging because it was a large time commitment, but they went a long way in building confidence. Now, I am a more competent student and future clinician because of how this process has enabled me to push myself to go the extra mile.
All of this would not have been possible if it were not for the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department staff coming alongside and showing me the ropes of research. My mentor, Dr. Rachel Glade, is a superstar, and I take so much inspiration from her passion and willingness to invest in the next generation of speech pathologists. Along with Dr. Glade, Dr. Katie Threlkeld and Dr. Jessica Danley, who are also on my honors committee, have been wonderful to work with and to receive support from.
In the upcoming Fall semester, I will begin the Speech Pathology Graduate Program at the University of Arkansas, and I am very excited to take this next step in my journey to becoming a speech pathologist. In the future, I plan on working as a speech-language pathologist in the medical setting, hopefully in outpatient or acute care with patients who have had a TBI, stroke, neurodegenerative disease, etc. Broadly, my goal for my career is to improve care for those patient populations and be a clinician who emphasizes patient-centered care for every single individual. Ultimately, I am so grateful for my experience with the Honors College at the University of Arkansas and how it equips students with the skills to achieve their goals in a career and in life.