Dr. Shameka N. Stewart, Ph.D., J.D., CCC-SLP/L
The Juvenile Forensic Speech-Language Pathologist
Associate Professor, Communication Sciences & Disorders
Howard University
School of Communications
Communication Sciences & Disorders Department
525 Bryant Street NW,
Washington D.C, 20059
October 22, 2014
RE: Reference for Shameka Johnson
Dear Admissions Committee,
Shemeka Johnson is the most talented new scholar presently in the School of Communications. She brings a wealth of knowledge in the area of educational technology as well as technology to aid individuals with disabilities. Dr. Johnson’s technical skills and knowledge base are vital to the University, School and Department at this time as she is able to take a leadership role in assisting each division of the University meet present and future goals to establish distant education programs.
Dr. Johnson, who I had the pleasure of advising, was impressive as a doctoral student here in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. During this time she proved to be a major contributor to distance-learning projects within the Department. Her work, under the guidance of Dr. Kay Payne, resulted in a series of national marketed training products to aid speech pathologist and graduate students in speech pathology prepare for the professional competency testing. Dr. Johnson presently is collaborating with other professors in the school such as Dr. Regional Miles on distant education projects. In additional to her technology knowledge, Shameka stood out in the department as one of the most scholarly students who immediately engaged in theoretical conversations and proposed excellent research based questions. I was impressed with her ability to generate high level critical thinking to research findings, create alternate research paradigms, and proposed new studies. She demonstrated strong potential for doctoral study based on her abilities to generate excellent research questions reflecting understanding of theory and practice and need for gathering further information.
Dr. Johnson’s Dissertation works focused on training professionals to use technology to help school aged children better communicate. This international work was completed in the Bahamas. Her dissertation work and training protocols has been endorsed and implemented by the Minister of Education where her data was collected. Dr. Johnson defended her dissertation with distinction.
Shameka is her own person. Her diverse background can be heard in her voice and seen in her style. She has been strong enough to hold on to her own culture, maintain her heritage, and yet present as scholarly, knowledgeable, and professional when performing the duties of a speech-language pathologist. Her off-site supervisors spoke highly of her skills and commended her commitment to learning each semester during her masters program.
Shameka is one of the only students that I have met who was willing to spend her time and energy to get training outside of the department. She was always taking trips to other cities and states to participate in educational opportunities when most students were taking a needed break. All of this was on her time and her money. She is motivated and she moves on her own motivation. She has shown a great deal of commitment to a career as a clinician, which has been highly successful and now as a young assistant professor. She now brings this same enthusiasm and commitment to Howard University in launching her career as a teacher investigator.
Shameka has strong clinical and scholarly skills that can become nothing but awesome given the opportunity to! She has awesome computer skills from her undergraduate background. When you put all of these skills together, you get a delightful clinician with the ability to get her work completed without stress. Again, everything that she does, she does to the best of her knowledge and ability. She exhibits efficiency in completing her work with excellence in quality, which are qualities that will greatly complement her completion of doctoral studies.
Shameka has gained excellent clinical, research and scholarly skills from her participation many educational and professional endeavors. Thank you for this opportunity to support Shameka as she moves ahead in this new educational path in her life. If you have any questions, please call me at 1-202-806-4051 between the hours of 9:00am-5:00pm.
Respectfully,
Ovetta Harris, Ph.D. CCC-SLP
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
School of Communication
4th and Bryant Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20059
202-806-6990
October 16, 2014
Re: Dr. Shameka Johnson
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to provide a letter of support and recommendation for Dr. Shameka Johnson, Ph.D.,, for consideration to appoint her in a tenure track position as an Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard University. I have
known Dr. Johnson since she was a doctoral student in this department where she earned her PhD having achieved distinction in her defense. Since that time, she has published some of her work and is preparing manuscripts for publication of additional research she has completed. Upon obtaining her PhD, Dr. Johnson spent a year at Stockton University in New Jersey where she was received as an exceptional junior faculty member. However, her desire to continue her work and research in multicultural factors led her back to Howard University when a one-year, position opened. She is presently serving in that position. Having been a member of her dissertation committee working with Dr. Johnson on her research design and analyses, I found her to be an exceptional researcher. Feedback from her students makes me feel that she is a very positive influence on students who are learning a great deal from her. Having worked with her as a doctoral student, her service to the department was excellent. Additionally, as for her teaching, I had the opportunity to attend a presentation made by Dr. Johnson at the 2014 Annual Convention of NBASLH. I was extremely impressed by her as a presenter. She led the discussion and presentation as if she had been doing this for many, many years. All participants were engaged in her presentation and discussion, and, most of all, I learned a lot that I did not know, which is what one wants from a teacher. Thus, I feel she meets all of the requirements for acceptance for the tenure track, Assistant Professor position.
Electronically signed,
Jay R. Lucker
Dr. Jay R. Lucker, Ed.D., CCC-A/SLP, FAAA
Associate Professor
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September 30, 2014
Re: Shameka Johnson
To Whom It May Concern:
I am writing this letter of recommendation on behalf of Dr. Shameka Johnson for the position of instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Howard University. I am very well acquainted with the wealth of experience, knowledge, and talents that Dr. Johnson possesses. I would like to speak to these in general and more specifically as they relate to the position of interest as faculty instructor.
I have known Dr. Johnson for the past seven years and during this time I have witnessed her professional and personal growth. Her passion for speech-language pathology has led her to completing her M.Ed. here at North Carolina Central University and her Ph.D. at Howard University in communication disorders. She has completed specialized training in cultural and linguistic diversity, augmentative and alternative communication, ABA/verbal behavior, cued speech, American Sign Language, and phonemic awareness. I applaud the fervor with which she has pursued extensive academic training as well as clinical experience working with a variety of populations in diverse settings. As a well rounded clinician she has served both adult and child populations. She has applied her knowledge and experience in the realm of research and scholarship in grant writing, international presentations, and publications. Dr. Johnson's wealth of experience contributes to her highly effective instructional style; moving from research theory to functional/evidence-based application. Dr. Johnson has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in communication disorders internationally, both here in the US (Howard University, Richard Stockton College) as well as the Bahamas (Barry University). Her course instruction has included AAC Evaluation and Treatment, Early Intervention, Phonological Disorders, Language Disorders in Young Children, Language Disorders in School Aged Children, and Thesis.
leadership and mentoring. Dr. Johnson has served in leadership capacities which have
ranged from her earlier experience as a Residential Life Graduate Assistant Resident Director at NCCU to her numerous honors including Who's Who among Students in American Colleges and Universities. Dr. Johnson serves on several Boards and is currently Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Seahorse Children's Foundation in the Bahamas. Prior to pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Johnson served as Sign Language Hip-Hop instructor at the Washington School for Girls where she mentored young girls.
This letter speaks to just some of the experiences and talents that contribute to Dr. Johnson's qualifications as a faculty instructor. It is my sincere belief that Dr. Shameka Johnson brings a high level of energy and talent to whatever venture she pursues. She will be a true asset to your faculty.
Sheila Bridges-Br.Ph.D. CCC-SLP
CREATT Director/ASHA Fellow
North Carolina Central University