Dr. Mark DeRuiter Receives Excellence Award at ASHA

Dr. Mark DeRuiter, Associate Department Head for Clinical Education, received the Dorothy Dreyer Award for Volunteerism at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention in November 2019.  The Dorothy Dreyer Award for Volunteerism may be given annually to one individual who has made significant and outstanding volunteer contributions to ASHA and serves as a model of volunteerism to others.  Individuals may be nominated for exceptional contributions that have had subsequent impact on the professions, ASHA members, and clients. These contributions may have occurred over a defined period of time or over a period of many years and may include service on various ASHA committees, boards, councils, Board of Directors, and/or the ASHFoundation.

To no surprise, DeRuiter was the standout nominee for the award.  Dually certified in audiology and speech-language pathology, DeRuiter is skilled in leading and serving in both professions as well as in the area of supervision. He served as president of the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders; chaired ASHA’s committee on speech-language pathology scope of practice; chaired the business, telepractice, management, and professional issue topic committee for the 2014 ASHA Convention; served as a subject matter expert for ASHA’s audiology assistant practice portal; served on ASHA’s Health Care Economics Committee; and assumed dozens of other service roles. His volunteerism is characterized by his commitment to leadership, issues affecting clinical service delivery, professional development, and improving the lives of people with communication disorders. 

We are proud to call DeRuiter an SLHS Wildcat.  Congratulations, Mark!