The Communication Sciences and Disorders Strategic Plan for 2025-2027 supports the larger objectives of the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) strategic plan and the goals and objectives of the University in a manner consistent with the department's mission and vision.
The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) developed our strategic plan to support the larger objectives of the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) strategic plan and to support the larger goals and objectives of the University in a manner that was consistent with the department’s mission and vision. First, the University plan was completed and made available to colleges prior to the start of their planning process. Consequently, the College of HHD’s planning effort focused on developing strategies to support University goals and objectives. Simultaneously, the Department of CSD began development of a renewed mission and vision statement and strategies and objectives flowing from this mission/vision. HHD used a “meet-in-the-middle” approach to create strategies to support the achievement of the ten objectives associated with four University goals. Each HHD academic unit, that included the Department of CSD, offered one-to-two priority strategies that supported at least one objective related to that goal. College leadership also developed an initial list of overarching strategies. These unit- and college-derived strategies were then compiled and shared among college and academic unit leadership. College and academic unit-level leadership then consolidated these individually-submitted strategies into eleven broader strategies that form the basis of the HHD plan. A preliminary version of the plan was shared with the larger HHD college community for comment. After comments were collected and considered, modifications were made. The Department of CSD followed a parallel process with sharing of drafts of our strategies with faculty/staff and the broader college community.
The Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) program is committed to serving diverse communities through exceptional, student-centered education, innovative teaching, and hands-on clinical experiences. Guided by evidence-based practice and cultural humility, our faculty mentor students to become lifelong learners and compassionate professionals prepared for an ever-changing professional landscape. At the same time, the CSD program seeks to maintain a well-funded, high-quality interdisciplinary research enterprise that uses innovative technologies to advance foundational knowledge in speech, language, hearing, feeding, swallowing, and communication across the lifespan. A critical part of our mission is translating this knowledge into clinical application, preparing students to be both producers and knowledgeable consumers of research. Together, our research, clinical education, and outreach programs positively impact the individuals we serve, their families, care providers, and agencies across Pennsylvania, nationally, and globally.
CSD Strategic Plan
University Plan Goal: Growing (Inter) Disciplinary Research Excellence
Penn State will leverage the breadth and depth of its scholarship and expertise to tackle the most pressing challenges facing the Commonwealth, nation, and world.
Objective
Grow research that positively impacts lives in the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world
CSD Strategy 1
Further development of interdisciplinary research collaborations with other units and research centers at University Park and Penn State Hershey integrating innovative technologies to support individuals with speech, language, communication, hearing, and feeding/swallowing challenges
CSD faculty will develop interdisciplinary research collaborations with the College of Information Sciences and Technology that promote the integration of technology and artificial intelligence to develop new interventions for individuals with speech, language, and communication programs
Clarke (CSD), Soto (CSD), and Billah (IST) project was funded by the Penn State Center for Socially Responsible Artificial Intelligence seed-funding competition
Wilkinson (CSD) & Billah (IST) project using Artificial Intelligence to interpret gestures
CSD Strategy 2
Further development of community engagement in participatory research
CSD faculty and graduate students will engage community members in all stages of the research process including input in the development of research questions and input into ongoing research projects
Community partners are providing ongoing input to the grant “A Physiologically Integrated Approach to Studying Mechanisms of Speech Production and Swallow Function in Down Syndrome” (funded by the NIDCD)
Doctoral student completed a research project that investigated the effects of a training developed by an autistic college student on his peers’ interactions
University Plan Goal: Increasing Land-Grant Impact
Penn State will be a key contributor to the economic development, innovation environment, workforce growth, and overall vitality of the Commonwealth.
Objective
Leverage our assets and strategic partnerships to build resilient, sustainable communities for the betterment of our Commonwealth.
CSD Strategy 3
Build upon and expand our current community outreach partnerships to provide educational opportunities for our students while providing impactful clinical services to individuals with speech, language, communication, hearing, and feeding/swallowing challenges
CSD faculty will reach out to potential externship sites that may provide strong clinical education experiences that are not otherwise provided by the Penn State Speech, Language and Hearing clinic, both locally and in surrounding counties for ongoing externship experiences and community placements
CSD faculty will build relationships (providing continuing education, site visits, mentoring, etc.) with facilities that can offer unique clinical opportunities including those with clients from diverse backgrounds and/or are located in a geographic area that is historically underserved and/or high need
Externship coordinator developed 58 new externship and community placements for our students between 2023-2025
CSD research faculty have provided in-service trainings for school personnel that foster relationships to support not only research partnerships but also potential clinical opportunities for our students
CSD faculty have volunteered to supervise hearing screenings at unique effects such as Pittsburgh’s Mission of Mercy and Special Olympics to provide educational opportunities for students
Objective
Amplify our academic enterprise through partnerships with business and industry, non-profit groups, communities, and residents.
CSD Strategy 4
Development of program(s) such as preparation for obtaining certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association as a Speech-Language-Pathology Assistant or to meet the education requirements for students to seek a Hearing Instrument Specialist certificate to provide pathways to employment for undergraduates with an academic focus on communication sciences and disorders
Develop working groups to determine what courses and clinical requirements would need to be established to provide these options to CSD undergraduate students
Working groups are developing proposals for these alternate pathways that would meet ASHA and/or state certification requirements
University Plan Goal: Fostering Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
Penn State will be a place where all our students, faculty, and staff can flourish in an environment of inclusive excellence, incorporating the fullness of their identities and their whole selves.
Objective
Address institutional barriers to close student outcome gaps.
CSD Strategy 5
Strengthen the sense of belonging by providing opportunities for change of campus students to connect, collaborate, and build relationships with CSD faculty and fellow students in the program as early as possible
Partner with the local National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NSSLHA) chapter on an outreach initiative to connect incoming change of campus students with each other and their University Park CSD peers in the summer prior to fall arrival. This time is identified as a critical touchpoint to help build connection and inclusion. This will be facilitated with a GroupMe chat including some NSSLHA current members.
Develop a SharePoint/resource specifically designed for change of campus students that would be available to them early in the transition process with the inclusion of more regular touchpoints throughout the semester using discussion boards
Include change of campus status as a criteria for consideration of inclusion of students in the CSD BRIDGE program
The GroupMe chat connection between current NSSLHA members and incoming change of campus students is scheduled to occur in July 2026
Change of campus status will be included as a criteria for receiving an invitation to apply to the CSD BRIDGE program
Objective
Cultivate a deep sense of belonging for faculty and staff with opportunities for professional development and an employee population that reflects the classrooms of tomorrow.
CSD Strategy 6
Offer opportunities for faculty and staff to connect and support each other in teaching and research such as an undergraduate teaching roundtable to give instructors an opportunity to share experiences and practices in what is anticipated to be a rapidly changing instructional ecosystem
Establish regular roundtable meetings for instructors of undergraduate courses
Provide mutual support for the sustainment of scholarly productivity through the use of mentor-mentee groups and presentation of research to fellow faculty on a regular basis to provide opportunity for feedback
Meetings were organized and conducted by the Professor-in-Charge of the Undergraduate Program that allowed sharing of experiences and practices among the faculty teaching undergraduate courses
