The Cordells — A Family Legacy, A Personal Connection, A Lasting Impact
For the Thomas and Susan Cordell family, the University of Arizona is more than a university, it’s a family tradition. Across generations, the Cordells have built a lasting connection to the U of A, and for more than 22 years, Tom and Susan have extended that legacy through their support of students in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences (SLHS).
Tom graduated from Marquette University and built a career in radio and television news before joining the University of Arizona’s College of Agriculture as a video producer, where he worked for 13 years. Susan graduated from Ball State University and then went on to earn her M.S. from the U of A and also worked here. Her family’s connection to the university stretches back even further: her father taught at the U of A in the 1940s and 1950s, her brother earned his Ph.D. here, and the Cordells’ children are also proud U of A alum.
Their support of SLHS, however, is rooted in something even more personal. When Susan began experiencing hearing loss, she received wonderful support from the college. Today, she has a cochlear implant and continues to work with SLHS for upgrades. That experience gave the Cordells a firsthand appreciation for the difference that knowledgeable, compassionate hearing professionals can make in a person’s life.
Through the Thomas and Susan Cordell Scholarship, they support graduate students interested in counseling and caring for individuals with hearing loss. Their goal is simple but meaningful: to help students as they prepare to enter a profession that can make a lasting difference in people’s lives.
As the Cordells put it, “We want to support these students who are beginning such a wonderful career!”
For Tom and Susan, supporting SLHS is a way to give back to a university that has been part of their family’s story for generations, and to help ensure that future students can make a difference in the lives of others. Their commitment to the college and its students will continue for years to come.
Previous Donor Spotlight: Delaney Schnell Speech and Language Gym
Delaney Schnell is a proud 2024 graduate of the Masters of Science program in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences at the University of Arizona. She was honored by generous donors for her achievements as both a scholar and an athlete (diving). Academically, Delaney is impressive, having graduated with her Master’s from our program, which is one of the top 10 in the nation. Athletically, Delaney is outstanding, having won the PAC-12 Scholar Athlete of the year award for 2022-2023, having won a silver medal at the 2020 Olympics, and represented the USA in the Summer 2024 Olympics in Paris. Delaney directed the gift from the generous donors to build the Delaney Schnell Speech and Language gym. This gym will encourage children to communicate and make learning fun. She also directed funds to subsidize visits to the UA Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic for U of A students, who would not otherwise be able to afford treatment. Finally, funds have been used to create materials for outreach activities, so more people can learn about the field of Speech-Language Pathology. Delaney is an amazing person. Look her up if you need a speech-language pathologist and learn more about her academic prowess here. We also want to express our appreciation to Delaney’s family for providing a gift to complete the gym which directly supports therapy services.
Previous Donor Spotlight: Dick and Judy Kroese
For more than 10 years, Dick and Judy Kroese have made donations to the SLHS Hearing Clinic. They were motivated to contribute based on personal experience and desire to support student success. Dick and Judy are frequent guests in the classroom, talking about their experiences with Dick’s hearing loss and cochlear implant. They are even willing participants for students to practice clinical skills. The Kroese’s annual donations help support the Audiology Doctoral Project Presentation event where students have the opportunity to present their work to the university and broader Tucson community.
Dick received a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska-Wesleyan and a Master of Science from the University of Omaha in public administration. He spent his career working in the railroad industry, with Western Pacific, Union Pacific, and the CSX railroads. He retired as a director. As he got older, Dick developed a hearing loss, at least in part related to noise exposure on an aircraft carrier during the Vietnam war and his work in the rail industry. Dick is the founder of the Saddlebrook Better Hearing Discussion Group.
Judy was trained as a speech language pathologist at the University of Iowa. She also earned a PhD in school psychology from the University of Georgia-Athens. Judy worked for over 30 years as a speech language pathologist and ultimately became the assistant director of a school in Atlanta, Georgia.
Dick and Judy Kroese’s financial support and willingness to engage with students has had a positive impact on our ability to train the next generation of audiologists. Thank you, Dick and Judy, for your continued support of hearing education at the University of Arizona.
Previous Donor Spotlight: Dr. Janis Wolfe Gasch
Dr. Gasch is known for her professional contributions and outstanding service to the field of audiology. In 2003, she received the Humanitarian Award from the American Academy of Audiology for her work to provide services to indigent Mexican children at St. Andrews Children’s Clinic in Nogales, Mexico. Dr. Gasch was the Founder and Director of Arizona Hearing Specialists, the first audiology private practice in Tucson. Through her practice, she has provided countless hours of training and mentoring to SLHS graduate students. Dr. Gasch was a past president of the Arizona Speech-Language-Hearing Association and has an outstanding record in community service. In 2005, the SLHS department recognized her with the Distinguished Alumna Award.
“Providing volunteer audiology and hearing aid services at the St. Andrews Children’s Clinic in Nogales was one of the most humbling and gratifying experiences of my career. It is so easy to take for granted everything that we have – both professionally and personally: up-to-date equipment, office space and staff; as well as the homes we live in, the food on our tables, the clothes we wear and the schools our children attend. Having the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the hearing -impaired children and their families seen through the Clinic, made me a better audiologist and a better person. I hope this award will motivate future students to use their knowledge to expand their experiences beyond the classroom.” - Janis Wolfe Gasch, Au.D.,CCC-A Retired, FAAA
A special thank you to Dr. and Mr. Gasch for their continued support of student success in the department.
Previous Donor Spotlight: Table for 10 Years
Thank you to our generous donors who made this unique gift a reality! The Table for 10 Years has been successfully installed and students, faculty, and staff are getting plenty of use out of it.