AFA leaves financial gift, enduring legacy to ASHS Audiology
Posted: August 25, 2010
The Audiology Foundation of America (AFA) is assigning the remainder of its assets to ATSU-ASHS’ Audiology program, which will launch the new AFA Institute affiliated with ATSU’s Arizona campus.
For 21 years, AFA has worked to transform audiology to a doctoring profession. With more than 50 percent of professionals in audiology now holding Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) degrees, that goal has been accomplished, and the Indiana-based AFA is closing its doors.
AFA is donating an estimated $650,000 to ATSU-ASHS in cash and securities. In addition, ATSU-ASHS will receive full rights to the Evaluation of Practicing Audiologist Capabilities (EPAC), an audiology practitioner qualifications analysis process used by accredited educational institutions to determine placement of an audiologist in an Au.D. degree program. AFA has also turned over its member database to the university.
“This gift to ATSU-ASHS will be an enduring legacy,” said AFA Chair Deborah Price, Au.D., ’00, a member of ASHS’ first audiology graduating class.
Over the years, ATSU-ASHS faculty, students, and administration have benefited from AFA through scholarship opportunities for students, welcome and graduate information packets each year, otoscopes for third-year students, and more. Planning now will focus on building a premiere institute to facilitate clinical learning within the full scope of audiology, business practice experiences, community outreach, and collaborative interdisciplinary clinical models.