We were truly overwhelmed by the exceptional caliber of applicants for the 2026 Foundation scholarships. Nearly 40 outstanding individuals applied, each demonstrating remarkable talent and dedication. While we wish we could have supported everyone, limited funding allowed us to award scholarships to 10 truly exceptional recipients. These individuals are not only incredibly smart and accomplished, but they also possess a deep commitment to making a positive impact. We are confident that they will go on to achieve great things and make a significant difference in their fields and communities.

Maria Laurice Edrosa
West Coast University
Maria is a speech-language pathology graduate student finishing her M.S. at West Coast University, with over eight years of experience across school settings, private practice, and telehealth. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Chapman University and a Master’s degree in Special Education from Arizona State University. Maria is dedicated to empowering individuals through compassionate, meaningful communication in all forms and is eager to give back to her community through service and advocacy.

Roxana Jimenez
San Jose State University
Roxana is a first-generation graduate student at San Jose State University. Her interests include working as a bilingual SLP, with a focus on early intervention and augmentative and alternative communication. She is passionate about providing culturally and linguistically responsive, client-centered care and supporting families in meaningful and functional communication outcomes.

Veronica Martinez Smith
University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences
Veronica Smith is a first-generation Mexican American graduate student pursuing a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. She is a bilingual student clinician and SLPA who advocates for children and families in the Central Valley so their voices can be heard. Her clinical passions include working with people who stutter, adults with aphasia, and neonatal populations.

Shreya Narayanan
California State University, Northridge
Shreya Narayanan is a first-year graduate student from the San Fernando Valley with experience across the field, including research with the CSUN Speech Language Science Lab and applied experience in special education settings. She is particularly dedicated to advancing culturally and linguistically responsive services for bilingual populations.

Teresa Thao Nguyen
San José State University (SJSU)
Teresa Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese American speech-language pathology graduate student. She holds a B.S. in Health Science from CSUF and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Speech-Language Pathology from CSUSM. She is committed to providing culturally responsive care, with interests in school-based practice, language disorders, autism, and augmentative and alternative communication.

Miguel Toner
California State University, Los Angeles
Miguel Toner is a second-year speech-language pathology graduate student at California State University, Los Angeles. He is the former vice president of CSULA’s NSSLHA chapter and is extremely grateful to his advisors Dr. Erica Ellis and Dr. Iam Morton, the chapter’s president Lan-Anh Pham, and the many people who have supported him.

Khanh Tran
California State University, Los Angeles
Khanh Tran is a graduate student at California State University, Los Angeles majoring in Speech-Language Pathology. With a bilingual background in Vietnamese and English, Khanh is passionate about serving the Vietnamese-English bilingual adult population. Her clinical interests include neurogenic communication disorders. Besides her passion for coffee, Khanh enjoys swimming, cooking, and reading books on Minimalism and Stoicism.

Lationette Vester
California State University, Fullerton
Lationette Vester is a first-generation college student pursuing a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. With her family as her greatest support system, she is passionate about serving diverse populations and advocating for underserved communities through compassionate, culturally responsive care that amplifies voices and expands access to communication.

Mya Wells
California State University, Los Angeles
Mya Wells is a second-year graduate clinician in Speech-Language Pathology. She is committed to linguistically and culturally responsive care and is an advocate for family-centered, evidence-based practice. Mya is passionate about equitable access to communication services across the lifespan and creating safe spaces where clients and their families feel seen, supported, and empowered.