The UNT Speech and Hearing Center, located at 907 W. Sycamore St. in Denton, is now registering children for its Fall language and literacy enrichment program.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Theresa Kouri, principal lecturer and clinical director for speech-language pathology in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and her team are using evidence-based multi-sensory and traditional educational practices that have been proven highly effective in preventing reading delays and strengthening pre-literacy skills. 

Dr. Kouri says the testimonials from parents speak volumes.

“One parent from the past year’s program said, ‘My child now writes messages and letters every day. She is wanting to learn and practice letter, writing, and speech. She asks about letters and how to spell words. The amount...

Dr. Sarah Moore is one of only 15 faculty from around the nation chosen for the elite opportunity. 

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Sarah Moore, assistant professor in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service...

Faculty and students presented research, took part in events and won awards at the annual state convention and exhibition, one of the largest of its kind in the nation.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Many faculty and students from the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology headed to Fort Worth to attend the Texas Speech-Language-Hearing Association (TSHA) annual convention Feb. 24-26.

While attending, UNT students and faculty received a variety of prestigious awards. In the Praxis Bowl, a competition between more than a dozen speech-language pathology (SLP) programs in Texas, UNT placed third. The team was made up of students Celinda Acosta, Sidney Moore, Janessa Guzman and Amber Moon, and Senior Lecturer and Undergraduate Director Stacy Nunnelee coordinated. At the awards...

Leslie Roberts has been named the 2021-22 UNT Foundation Outstanding Lecturer. DENTON (UNT), Texas 

Leslie Roberts, principal lecturer in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service Department of Public Administration, has earned the coveted UNT Foundation Outstanding Lecturer Award. She was surprised with the designation, which is the university’s highest honor for a full-time lecturer and recognizes her for her “significant and sustained contributions to the university as evidenced by quality of teaching and service”, during a class on January 27.

“Ms. Roberts is in the elite group of faculty in the college who I would consider our best instructors. She is dedicated to her students’ success while also expecting rigor and hard work,” said Dr. Nicole Dash, dean of the college. “While it would be easy to expect students to learn and demonstrate the mastery of facts, she moves beyond that to instill a breadth of knowledge based on choices and behaviors. Her students are her priority, and as a result, she spends...

The project, titled “Music and Hearing Conservation,” is geared toward area band and orchestra students.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Dr. Amanda Labue, Senior Lecturer and Clinical Supervisor in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, and doctoral student Lauren Davis have developed a presentation that covers the following topics:

• General overview of the profession of audiology
• Facts about noise exposure and potential hearing damage that can be caused by repeated exposure to musical instruments
• Ways to help prevent or slow hearing damage by using proper ear protection including custom fitted Musician’s Ear Plugs (MEPs)

They have been visiting North Texas high schools to share the information in hopes of preventing hearing loss in young musicians.

“I hope that the students we...

More than 50 percent of college students report feeling concerned about their mental health. Dr. Sharma says minimizing stress can help.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – According to Inside Higher Ed, 58 percent of college students say they were “moderately,” “very” or “extremely” concerned about their mental health. Dr. Rachita Sharma, interim chair of the Department of Rehabilitation and Health Services (RHS) in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service says managing stress can help improve mental health and well-being. Dr. Sharma offers the following tips for UNT students to help manage stress.

Tip 1: Learn to manage your time wisely.
“Feeling overwhelmed or imbalanced by all your responsibilities? Develop good time management habits to avoid procrastination and make the most of your minutes,” Dr. Sharma says. “Having a detailed...

We’re excited to sponsor the UNT Food Pantry presented by Kroger this month! 

Please join us in supporting our students by dropping off any of the following items to Chilton Hall, Suite 289, the UNT Food Pantry in the University Union, Suite 409, or donate money online at this link.

There’s also a UNT Food Pantry Amazon Wish list if you’d like to donate there instead: https://bit.ly/UNTFoodPantryWishList

For more information on the UNT Food Pantry presented by Kroger, visit https://studentaffairs.unt.edu/food-pantry

Thank you for helping us support our students and...

Jose Garcia is one of two HPS students to earn this honor that only six students received university wide.

DENTON (UNT), Texas – Jose Garcia, who’s pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service, has earned the esteemed UNT Golden Eagle Award from the Division of Student Affairs and Multicultural Center. It is the most prestigious award that UNT bestows on a student leader. Recipients are those who show a tremendous commitment to co-curricular activities and enhance campus life at UNT by engaging in considerable service and displaying great leadership, all while achieving excellence in the classroom.

“I could not have achieved this award without the support of my family, professors, student organization advisors and classmates at UNT. As a non-traditional student, it can be challenging to make sure everything is taken care of at home, school, student organizations and volunteering,” Garcia said. “However, being part of student organizations at UNT,...

DENTON (UNT), Texas – U.S. News and World Report has named two concentrations in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service (HPS) number one in Texas on its 2021 list of Best Graduate Schools – local government management, and homeland security and emergency management.

“These rankings show our college's continued dedication to excellence and to providing our students with a top-tier education,” said Dr. Nicole Dash, dean of the college. “While we know rankings aren't everything, it's always an honor to have outside entities recognize our achievements."

The Master of Public Administration (MPA) program specialization in local government management is ranked no. 12 in the nation and it is also ranked in the public financing and budgeting category, where it sits at no. 31. 
“The UNT MPA program is proud to again be recognized as one of the top degrees in the nation. With a placement rate...

DENTON (UNT), Texas — A researcher in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service is studying how the continuum of care for homeless people, which includes the social, medical, public health and education sectors, has changed during COVID-19.

Hee Soun Jang, an associate professor and graduate coordinator for the Department of Public Administration, and Jesus Valero, an assistant professor at the University of Utah, have been researching services for homeless people that are run at a local level and often involve multiple agencies known as Continuum of Care (CoC).

“Continuum of Care is a premise that is unique to improving a fragmented service system for homelessness,” Jang said. “There are innovative and interesting examples of individual agencies providing successful interventions for homeless populations. But, because agencies do not always coordinate services and information with one another, it is difficult to capture comprehensive knowledge of...

DENTON (UNT), Texas — University of North Texas students are working with the Women’s Storybook Project to make the holidays a little brighter for children whose moms are incarcerated.

Senior Julia Langlois and 29 of her classmates in the College of Health and Public Service Social Work program chose the organization to support this semester as part of a long-standing tradition in the department to assist a group that needs some extra help. With COVID-19 restricting many activities, the Women’s Storybook Project was a great fit, as it allowed the fourth-year social work students to make an impact without in-person contact.

“When we were contacting organizations to see who might need help, they said that any help this semester would be great, since there’s a lot more people in the prisons wanting to participate during the holidays,” Langlois said.

The Women’s Storybook Project originated in 1994 and allows women who are incarcerated in state prisons to record themselves reading a story and offer a short greeting...

Hadidja Nyiransekuye, an assistant professor of social work in the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service, has won the prestigious Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers that honors a member of the organization that exemplifies top-tier values and achievements.

Nyiransekuye, a refugee from Rwanda and a survivor of genocide along with her four children, specializes in policy advocacy focusing on the refugee crisis that affects communities across the globe.

“I know what it feels like to not have a home,” she said. “There are people who have helped me and opened their homes to me, for that I am grateful. I owe it to humanity to do what I can to help others.”

Nyiransekuye’s research demonstrates the problems faced by refugees that are global issues, including acts of violence and loss of freedom.

“If we don’t address...