The University of Akron

STUDENT SUC Audiology Kyle Shepard, a 2013 graduate of the Northeast Ohio Au.D. Consortium (NOAC), was recently recognized by his undergraduate alma mater, Ohio State for completing his audiology degree and accepting a commission in the United State Navy. Shepard was hand picked for his Navy commission, specializing in audiology, after a rigorous and competitive eight-month process. His commission was one of the select few offered by the Navy each year. Although Ohio State offered a competitive Au.D. program, Shepard chose The University of Akron and NOAC because of its impressive faculty, facilities and program design. In addition, he found the program welcoming to students without undergraduate degrees in speech and hearing science or communication science. "The diverse clinical and educational experience NOAC provided me has helped me become an independent and competent audiologist," Shepard says. "I feel that I could work in any setting with any patient population and be comfortable." Nursing Kayla Beers was named the 2013 Denise Carrabine Outstanding Student in Nursing and received the corresponding Scholarship Award. Before enrolling in The University of Akron School of Nursing, Kayla served in the National Guard for six years, including an active duty tour in Afghanistan in 2008. While in the National Guard, she was a combat medic on a Security Team and supported convoy missions in the country. She's currently a nurse tech in the ER at Metro Health. The Denise Carrabine Outstanding Student Scholarship was established by Dr. Tim Carrabine to honor his late wife and her love of learning. KYLE SHEPARD (center) Social Work Maribeth Hutchens-Saxer What did an extremely busy wife, and mother to seven, vow to do as her 30th birthday fast approached? Maribeth Hutchens-Saxer made a life-changing commitment to take on even more work as a college student. She had been working various manufacturing jobs when she realized that she wanted to take the plunge and get her degree right then – or it might not ever happen. She had experience with the social welfare system earlier in her life, and she knew that there had to be a way to do things more compassionately. So that's what she set out to do. Hutchens-Saxer lived in Akron, so attending The University of Akron was a no-brainer to her. "It was an urban campus with a great feel," she says. She instantly felt at home and first earned her associate's degree before "stepping up" and completing her bachelor's degree in social work in less than six years. "The most important thing that I learned while in school is that people need to take care of themselves first, before they can take care of others," she says. "The University of Akron social work program prepares students with evidence-based practices that got me ready for the real world," Hutchens-Saxer continues. "My instructors were not kidding when they said that internships are an important part of my school experience. In fact, my internship with Catholic Charities was, essentially, a six-month-long interview that ultimately got me a fulltime position with Catholic Charities!" 10

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