UD’s chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association (NSSLHA) was awarded gold chapter honors for the 2025-2026 academic year. This is the first time the group was recognized at the gold level and the second year in a row the chapter has received honors. 

NSSLHA is the only national student organization for pre-professionals studying communication sciences and disorders (CSD) that is recognized by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). The organization supports more than 11,000 members at 350 chapters nationwide. UD was one of only 108 chapters in the country to receive honors this year. 

The award highlights a distinguished level of achievement in the areas of member recruitment and engagement, community outreach and service, legislative advocacy and fundraising. 

Chapter President Alexa Stachel said the students led community outreach activities in Wilmington and Trabant Student Center, hosted numerous events, many of which focused on increasing diversity in the CSD field, participated in legislative advocacy activities centered on reducing student loan debt and lent their time and talents to support UDance in fundraising efforts to fight childhood cancer.

She noted the group’s executive board focused on providing as many opportunities for members as possible this year.

“As the communication science and disorders field has so much variety, it is important that our members get to try as much as possible to fully explore the field,” she said. “This year definitely highlighted our members’ capabilities.”