Speech-Language Pathology Students Become Published Researchers Through Faculty Mentorship

Three students in Seton Hall’s dual degree B.S.E., elementary and special education/M.S., speech-language pathology program are published researchers, thanks to the mentorship of Nicole Hansen, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Educational Studies.

Their article, "Requirement Versus Reality: Secondary Social Studies Teachers’ Attitudes and Practices When Teaching About Disability History," appeared in The Social Studies, a peer-reviewed journal, in July 2025. The study, co-authored by Hansen, examined how New Jersey educators implement a state mandate to teach disability history and highlighted barriers teachers face in doing so.

The project grew out of Hansen’s undergraduate course, Assessment in Special Education. Angelica Sendrowski, Marissa Todd and Francesca Violante approached Hansen with an interest in research that could also align with their capstone project as students in Seton Hall’s Buccino Leadership Institute. From there, the students joined Hansen as research assistants.

Hansen said the students mastered a range of skills, including learning the ethical conduct of research, transcribing teacher interviews, coding data using Atlas.ti software and drafting case reports for the study. They also presented their findings at Seton Hall’s 2024 Petersheim Academic Exposition and with Hansen at a national virtual conference, "Teaching Disability History," that same April.

“Overall, it was a really wonderful collaboration,” Hansen said. “Not only did Marissa, Angelica and Francesca make valuable contributions to the research, but they also gained skills that will serve them well in graduate school, from interdisciplinary teamwork to real-world problem-solving. One of the most rewarding parts of this project for me was watching the students transition from students to researchers.”

For the students, the process was transformative.

“Hansen provided a supportive mentorship opportunity, helping me to develop a passion for research,” said Todd. “Even when our team struggled to master coding and meet reliability benchmarks, she encouraged us to ask questions and keep going — making us feel accomplished, even during difficult tasks.”

Violante recalled that she initially viewed the project as a way to meet leadership requirements. “However, throughout the research project, I was given the chance to hone in and develop my love for academic research,” she said. “I came to appreciate not only the dedication it requires but also the collaboration — where each of our thoughts and analyses was treated with respect and interest by Hansen and by one another.”

Sendrowski said the work also deepened her career goals. “I have always had an interest in becoming an elementary school speech-language pathologist (SLP),” she said. “Conducting this research helped open my eyes to how children this age view and understand disabilities, and how we can help shift their views to ones that are more positive and understanding.”

Hansen continued mentoring the students through their Buccino Leadership Institute senior project, which explored how K–12 students perceive disability in the classroom. The project revealed that while many students showed emerging positive attitudes, stereotypes — sometimes shaped by gender and physical appearance — remained common.

The research and mentorship experiences left the students better prepared for their graduate studies. “This project impacted my goals as an SLP student because I learned that I enjoy the unique perspective research provides,” said Todd. “I’m always willing to seek new perspectives, ask questions and make connections across past and present information.”

Todd, Violante and Sendrowski received the B.S.E. in elementary and special education degree with a concentration in speech-language pathology in 2025, with New Jersey state certification as elementary and special education teachers. They are anticipated to be awarded the M.S. in speech-language pathology degree in 2027.

As dual degree B.S.E./M.S. students, they received automatic acceptance into Seton Hall’s speech-language pathology program upon successful completion of their undergraduate requirements.

“Being a part of this research project was one of the highlights of my undergraduate experience,” said Sendrowski. “I got to present at conferences, learn how to conduct a literature review and improve my leadership skills. I know I’ll carry these skills into my graduate SLP studies.”

Categories: Education, Health and Medicine