Patrick Elliott Wins National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing Student Research Award

VALDOSTA — Patrick Elliott’s “Effects of Egocentrism on the Vocabulary Development of African-American Preschoolers” won the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing’s 2018 Student Research Award.

Elliott is a student in Valdosta State University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education and will graduate summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Education in communication disorders on May 5. He has already been accepted to a graduate program and will begin pursuing a Master of Education in communication disorders at VSU this summer.

“The research was about teaching African-American children who are in the egocentric stage of development new vocabulary words by using vocabulary self-portraits,” he explained. “A vocabulary self-portrait is a vocabulary card made up of a printed word and a photograph of the child depicting the meaning of the vocabulary or holding an object representing the vocabulary.”

Two American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Certificate of Clinical Competence-holding speech-language pathologists — Dr. Crystal Randolph, an assistant professor in VSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education, and Dr. Ruth Renee Hannibal, an associate professor in VSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education — guided Elliott’s research.

Elliott had an opportunity to present his award-winning research at the National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing Convention April 12-14 in Washington, D.C., where he was awarded a $1,000 scholarship sponsored by Pearson Education Inc. During the three-day event, he was able to expand his knowledge base by listening to nationally recognized experts, network with educators and professionals in his chosen career field, and learn about the latest research being conducted by students at colleges and universities across the United States.

The National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing is the premier professional and scientific association addressing the communication interests and concerns of black communication sciences and disorders professionals, students, and consumers. It is committed to promoting an increase in the number of black speech, language, and hearing professionals; improving the quality of service delivery to black individuals with communication disorders and differences; promoting research that contributes to the body of knowledge on the identification, diagnosis, and treatment of black individuals with communication disorders and differences; soliciting and providing financial support for the training of black students in communication science disorders; soliciting and providing mentoring support of black students and professionals in communication science disorders; being an advocate for black individuals with communication disorders and differences; and disseminating information to the public on communication disorders and differences specific to the black community.

Elliott is an active member of the National Student Speech-Language-Hearing Association, National Black Association for Speech-Language and Hearing, and the Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association. He previously presented research at VSU’s 2017 Undergraduate Research Symposium and at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s 2017 Convention in Los Angeles, California.

Elliott earned the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Student Research Award and the 2018 Outstanding Undergraduate Award from VSU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders and Special Education. He finished in first place at VSU’s 2018 Undergraduate Research Symposium Three-Minute Video Competition. He was one of 40 students from across the United States selected to participate in the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s 2017 Minority Student Leadership Program.

Committed to upholding the principles of the Blazer Creed, which encourages VSU students to make positive contributions to their communities, Elliott served as an ambassador at the Future Georgia Educators Conference, serving as a guide for high school students interested in attending college. He also worked with the Child Development Center at Moody Air Force Base to register children for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. He is the son of Christine Elliott of Parkton, North Carolina, and Pat Elliott of Fayetteville, North Carolina.