Michelle Lang, a 3rd-year AuD student      at the University of Florida in      Gainesville, received a $10,000      scholarship from Starkey last fall for      demonstrating leadership in academic      achievement, career goals, research      initiatives, and more.

Lang, now a 3rd-year audiology student at the University of Florida in Gainesville, graduated from Florida State University in 3 years with a undergraduate degree in communications disorders. After graduation, she decided to take advantage of her accelerated completion of college by taking a year off and traveling to Africa. It was there that she encountered the person who would inspire her to make not only a career change, but a decision on how to spend the rest of her life.

Lang, the daughter of a career military man, spent much of her childhood moving from place to place before the family settled in Pensacola, FL, while she was in middle school. So spending a year in the Sudan wasn't as daunting to her as it may have been for some. While at Florida State, Michelle became interested in speech therapy after working with a therapist who treated children with cerebral palsy.

She took those skills to work at a special needs school in the Sudan, where she encountered a profoundly-deaf 7-year old girl named Yakiin. Right away, Michelle saw something in the youngster, but she realized Yakiin was almost entirely unable to communicate.

"She couldn't read or write, or comprehend the language very well," recalled Lang. "But it was clear to me that she didn't belong in this school. Her deafness was the only reason she was there."

Most of the students at the school had considerable learning deficits or mental handicaps, unlike Yakiin. It became clear that the educational system of the third-world nation was ill-equipped to work with such a unique student. However, Lang soon realized that she too might be unable to help Yakiin.

"She only spoke Arabic," explained Lang, "and I realized there were too many obstacles for me to overcome. Even if I was able to become fluent in Arabic, my accent would make it too difficult for me to use my speech therapy skills. But I knew she didn't belong in that school, and I wanted to help her."

Birth of a Career

Building such a meaningful relationship caused Lang to wonder why Yakiin wasn't getting the help she needed.

"If hearing loss was her only issue, why hadn't anyone addressed it?" Lang recalled wondering.

This made her start looking into audiology as a possible area of study upon her return to the states. She admitted she was initially reluctant to pursue the career because of the additional 4 years of schooling that would be required.

"But I realized that it would be worth the extra years of school to have a chance at such a rewarding career," she concluded.

Lang began considering a career in audiology      after developing a relationship with a 7-year-old      girl named Yakiin (pictured, left) while offering      help at a special needs school in the Sudan. She      has since traveled to Mexico on spring break to      particpate in another mission trip.

Honors and Involvement

Last fall, Michelle received a $10,000 Starkey Hearing Foundation's William F. Austin Scholarship Award. She was one of five students to receive the Starkey grant, which was dedicated back in 2004 for audiology students who demonstrate leadership in academic achievement, career goals, research initiatives, and more.

Since starting in Florida's program in 2007, Michelle has traveled to Mexico on a spring break, where she and a group of students saw over 1,000 villagers over a 4-day period. The group provided hearing screenings and fittings for hearing aids when applicable, while also educating local residents.

"I really enjoyed helping the less fortunate in another country," recalled Lang. "It's a great opportunity to use the skills I've acquired."

Moreover, Lang is the community service chairperson for the University of Florida's chapter of the Student Academy of Audiology. In this role, she arranges one to two community service actions for members each semester. This past semester, she led a group that provided hearing screenings at an area health fair--the group treated over 100 people in a 4-hour period.

Lang is also a member of the International Society of Audiology, a group that provides her networking opportunities with audiologists who've done what she aspires to do-help people in other countries to improve their hearing. As much as she enjoyed her experiences in Mexico and the Sudan, she says she doesn't necessarily know where she wants to work--but she is sure of what she wants to do.

"I'll go anywhere that there is a need [for audiologists] internationally--or even here in the states," she said. "To me, it's just as important to have the ability to help others as it is to be able to make a living."

Rob Senior is managing editor at ADVANCE.