Tricia Larkin (left) speaks with a student who was inspired by her project to continue diversity discussions with Communication Sciences and Disorder students.
Tricia Larkin of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) has been honored with a Living Our Values Award.
The Living Our Values awards recognize individuals and groups that exemplify Illinois State’s core values of Learning and Scholarship, Diversity and Inclusion, Respect, Collaboration, Individualized Attention, Civic Engagement, and Integrity, as spelled out in Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State – The Strategic Plan for Illinois’ First Public University 2018-2023. The awards celebrate the commitment to live the University’s values every day, and strengthen the campus community by sharing those values.
Larkin, who was chosen for her work toward the values of Learning and Scholarship, Diversity and Inclusion, and Respect, facilitates conversations about cultural and linguistic diversity in her assessment and child language development courses to help prepare future clinicians for the workforce. “In any given setting, the local population is filled with individuals from diverse cultural and linguistic experiences,” said Larkin, who joined Illinois State University in 2015. “Our students are expected to provide care to any individual seeking services.”
Members of the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders gather to honor Tricia Larkin.
Along with the courses, Larkin also oversees independent study projects associated with cultural and linguistic diversity. The latest projects saw students researching topics such as assessments based on the assumption of what is the “norm” for society, challenges unique to first-generation immigrants, and cross-cultural, non-verbal communication.
Heidi Verticchio, who nominated Larkin for the award, attributed her work to sparking larger, department-wide discussion on diversity and respect, including the development of the department’s Student Advisory Board.
“Awareness is an outcome of the sharing process,” noted Larkin. “That is where respect can start.”
Nominees for the Living Our Values awards can be any current Illinois State student, faculty, or staff member, or a group of people at Illinois State working toward a program or initiative that reflects the core values.
Nomination forms can be found on the Educate Connect Elevate: Illinois State website.
