WSA Introduces EMPOWERS U to Connect AuD Education with Early-Career Development

WSA's new EMPOWERS U program connects AuD students with mentorship, industry exposure, and career support to bridge the gap between education and professional practice. Chief Clinical Officer Sheena Burks discusses how the program supports students from their studies through early-career development.

AudiologyOnline: EMPOWERS U spans education, mentorship, industry exposure, and early-career support for AuD students. How do these different components come together to create a more connected path into the profession?

Sheena Burks: Education, mentorship, industry exposure, and early-career support each serve a different purpose. Together, they give students a fuller picture of the profession and the opportunities within it. EMPOWERS U brings those pieces into one continuous experience, so each stage builds on the last. 

That reflects how audiologists develop professionally in practice: through formal education, experience, relationships, and continued exposure to new technologies and perspectives within the profession. Over time, students move from learning about audiology to finding their place within it, with a stronger understanding of the field and a professional community they can continue to grow with throughout their careers.

AudiologyOnline: How does EMPOWERS U help aspiring audiologists bridge the gap between their  education and a successful early career?

Sheena Burks: The transition from student to professional brings a new set of decisions, from applying clinical knowledge in professional settings to determining what students want their early careers to look like.

Rather than viewing education and professional practice as separate silos, EMPOWERS U gives students opportunities to put what they are learning into practice well before graduation. Mentorship, research opportunities, training, and paid externships help students deepen their knowledge, gain experience in professional settings, and build confidence in how they apply it. Scholarships can also help make those experiences more accessible to students.

Career-readiness support and professional matching then extend that preparation into the job search and early-career years. By the time students step into their first role, they have had opportunities to apply what they know, build professional relationships, and better understand the professional settings and career paths available to them.

AudiologyOnline: What kinds of guidance and mentorship can students expect from WSA audiologists throughout the program?

Sheena Burks: WSA intentionally matches students with audiologists whose professional experiences align with their specific interests and career goals. From there, mentorship can help students better understand the different paths available within audiology, think through where their own strengths and interests may lead them, and gain perspective from professionals who have already navigated those decisions.

The relationship is meant to develop alongside the student. As their interests become more defined and they move closer to practice, mentors can help students connect their education with the realities of the profession and approach early-career decisions with greater confidence.

AudiologyOnline: Audiology continues to evolve with new technologies and models of care. How will EMPOWERS U help students prepare for the profession they're entering?

Sheena Burks: EMPOWERS U gives students opportunities to expand their exposure to the technologies, research, and professional considerations shaping audiology today. Through on-site learning with WSA audiologists, students can explore areas such as hearing technology, research, career preparation, and the business of audiology.

That industry exposure complements what students are learning in their university programs and gives them additional context for how their education translates into professional practice. It also helps students explore different areas of interest as they begin thinking about where they want their careers to take them.

AudiologyOnline: How will EMPOWERS U help students explore the diverse career paths, practice settings, and specialties available within audiology?

Sheena Burks: WSA recognizes that there is no single path within the audiology profession. Students enter their AuD programs with different interests, strengths, and long-term goals, and those priorities often become clearer as they gain more exposure to the field. EMPOWERS U gives students opportunities to explore those possibilities earlier, with guidance from WSA audiologists. 

That exposure can help students better understand how different practice settings and specialties translate into day-to-day work and where they may see the strongest fit for themselves. As students move closer to graduation, professional matching can also connect them with opportunities based on factors such as setting, specialty, and location. The goal is to give students enough perspective and experience to make more informed career decisions and pursue a path that feels both meaningful and sustainable over time.

AudiologyOnline: Why is it so valuable for students to begin building relationships with practicing audiologists before they enter the workforce?

Sheena Burks: Professional relationships play an important role throughout an audiologist’s career. Building them early gives students a closer look at how audiologists collaborate and navigate the profession beyond the classroom. Those early connections can also foster a sense of belonging within the audiology community, offering students a support system that can provide guidance and encouragement well into their careers.

AudiologyOnline: What workforce challenges is the audiology profession currently facing, and how is EMPOWERS U designed to help address them over the long term?

Sheena Burks: Preparing the next generation of audiologists means supporting students before they enter the workforce and helping them make a successful transition into practice. EMPOWERS U brings mentorship, externships, career preparation, and professional matching together so students can build experience, relationships, and a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them.

Over time, that investment can help strengthen the audiology community by supporting professionals who are well prepared to build fulfilling careers and deliver high-quality patient care.

AudiologyOnline: Why is stronger collaboration between universities and industry so important, and how can partnerships like EMPOWERS U enrich the education and professional development of AuD students?

Sheena Burks: Stronger collaboration between universities and industry is critical because both play complementary roles in a student's development. Universities provide the academic and clinical rigor that anchors an AuD education, while industry partners like WSA can add practical context, exposure to emerging technologies, and a closer view of how the profession is evolving.

Partnerships like EMPOWERS U create more opportunities for those two sides to reinforce one another. WSA works with university leaders to identify where added professional exposure and industry expertise can support what students are already learning, while keeping the university’s academic and clinical programs at the center of their education. Participating universities can also receive access to WSA hearing aids for use in university clinics, along with grants and other resources supporting student research. 

Through the program, scholarships can help make additional educational and professional development opportunities more accessible to students, while paid externships give them the chance to apply what they have learned in clinical settings before graduation. For students, that creates a richer educational experience and a clearer connection between the training they receive today and the careers they will build tomorrow.

AudiologyOnline: EMPOWERS U continues supporting participants after graduation. Why was it important to extend the program beyond students' academic training, and what do you hope graduates gain by remaining part of the EMPOWERS U community?

Sheena Burks: WSA believes that graduation is the beginning of a professional journey, not the end of a developmental one. The early years of practice bring new responsibilities and opportunities, and graduates benefit from having trusted relationships and resources to draw on as they find their footing. Extending EMPOWERS U beyond graduation keeps that support in place when it can matter most.

Remaining part of the EMPOWERS U alumni community gives graduates continued access to mentors and peers who can offer support as their careers take shape. Over time, we hope those relationships become a lasting professional network that helps graduates stay connected to the audiology community, learn from one another, and continue building meaningful careers in the field. 

AudiologyOnline: Looking ahead, how do you hope programs like EMPOWERS U will shape the future of the audiology profession?

Sheena Burks: Our hope is that EMPOWERS U helps build a stronger, more connected audiology community by supporting students throughout their education and as they begin their careers. By giving aspiring audiologists opportunities to build experience, relationships, and a clearer understanding of the profession, we can help them enter practice with a strong foundation for long-term career development.

Ultimately, the lasting measure of EMPOWERS U will be the professionals it supports, the careers it helps launch, and the difference those audiologists make in people’s lives.

For more information on this topic, please visit WSAEmpowersU.com.