28th Annual Convention

Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Uptown | Charlotte, NC | July 10-12, 2025
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Graduate Student Training Program

Applications will open in February 2025

Friends developed the Graduate Student Training Program (GSTP) to help graduate students in speech-language pathology get a better understanding of stuttering and its effect on children and their families. The Friends GSTP will provide a much-needed and valuable clinical opportunity for many graduate students. This program will also enhance the knowledge and experience graduate students acquire in the field of stuttering. The GSTP will address the affective, behavioral and cognitive components of a young person who stutters. 

Students participating in the GSTP are required to attend educational meetings before, during, and after the convention, and volunteer during the convention by assisting an experienced speech-language pathologist in the children’s workshops. During the convention, students will have the opportunity to work with stuttering specialists, ask questions, learn from children who stutter, and gain invaluable experiences.

In addition to the priceless learning opportunity, participation in the GSTP also includes:

  • A full meal pass: Friends will provide delicious cooked-to-order daily breakfast, buffet meals for lunch, and plated meals for dinner. In addition, there will be complimentary snacks, and evening Happy Hour during all conference days. The only meal that is not included is dinner on Friday. Check out the tentative schedule for more details on meals!
  • A ticket to the Saturday night banquet with dinner, karaoke, and dancing

Applications for the 2025 Friends Convention GSTP will open in February 2025. If you have any questions before then, please email Dr. Tricia Zebrowski at tricia@friendswhostutter.org.

 

The graduate students will:

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Obtain information on stuttering and receive hands on experience with children who stutter

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Observe what the young person who stutters experiences throughout the three day convention, seeing the children’s vast transformation from beginning of the convention to the end of day three

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Learn how to successfully engage children who stutter in conversation

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Attempt to help each child become as comfortable as possible talking and learning about stuttering with help of the workshop facilitator

The Program’s mission is:

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To provide a valuable and unique experience for graduate Speech Language Pathology students over a three day period working with young people who stutter and their families by a) Learning from experienced stuttering specialists, and b) Interacting with other Speech Language Pathologists

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In order to get the most out of this experience, we require the graduate student to volunteer for the entire day. This will provide consistency and continuity for both the SLP graduate student and the child who stutters. This consistency will increase comfort for the child who stutters and will provide the graduate student with a more comprehensive experience and increase their knowledge about stuttering.

If you are interested in this program:

Apply here and submit online by June 1st.

Register for the convention online at this page.

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