Announcing The 2024 AVA/ADN Student Encouragement Award Recipients

AVA/ADN Student Encouragement Award winners at the 2024 AVA Conference: Nadine Manion (left) and Paige Abblitt (right) with AVA President Heather Fletcher (middle).

The Australian Voice Association (AVA) and the Australian Dysphonia Network (ADN) are thrilled to announce the winners of the 2024 Student Encouragement Award. This award exists to acknowledge the efforts and outstanding achievements of students studying speech pathology, singing, or other vocal specialities (e.g., singing coaching/vocal coaching) whose focus is a career that contributes to the promotion of vocal health. 

The award comprises:

• A $1000 bursary for the grand prize winner to help further fund the education of the recipient.

• Free AVA membership for 1 year for each state finalist.

The recipients of this year’s Student Encouragement Award are:

• Nadine Manion (grand prize winner)

• Jaimi Kubat (state finalist)

• Paige Abblitt (state finalist)

• Mienke Breebaart (state finalist)

• Erin Bromfield (state finalist)

The criteria for the 2024 Student Encouragement Award included at least two of the following: ​

• Exemplary attitude and commitment to their particular program of study

• Sound academic achievement

• A genuine interest in learning about voice

• Leadership in some manner with reference to vocal issues (e.g., mentoring other students, leading/teaching classes, representation on committees, developing new initiatives)

• Research achievement in voice

• Vocal performance worthy of support

We are grateful to the Australian Dysphonia Network for their contribution to this award, and for the many outstanding applications we received. We look forward to continuing this award in the future.