Abstract:
For four years, I have spent my days and nights studying to become a Speech-Language Pathologist. As a relatively small department in comparison to other areas of academic study at Ball State University, the department of Speech Pathology and Audiology is a close knit group of professionals and students. I have had the opportunity to build and grow relationships with fellow classmates and faculty members during my time in the undergraduate program.As I began considering project ideas for my senior honors thesis, I wanted to complete a project that would not only be personally enriching, but would also be beneficial for the faculty, staff, and fellow students in the department of Speech Pathology and Audiology. These people have impacted my education and personal life in a way that is inexpressible, and I feel that this senior honors thesis is the perfect way for me to give something back to the department that has shaped me into the professional that I will become. This project focuses on the necessity and methods used to maintain relationships with other alumni in order to inspire them to contribute to department as well. Three newsletters geared towards alumni were developed to act as a template that the department can use in the future to help maintain the support and involvement of alumni in order to satisfy various needs of the department.