Amplifying Voices. Creating Community
Just days after Miya’s murder, a family friend set up a GoFundMe page and said, maybe you’ll think of something… a cause. Initially planned as a scholarship, Miya’s Voice is now registered as a non-profit in the state of Rhode Island, and scholarships will be just one facet of what Miya’s Voice will do. Learn more of Miya’s story and the Miya D. Brophy-Baermann Memorial Scholarship Fund.
Scholarships
2025 Scholarship Award Winners
Ella Wenzel
“I’m from North Smithfield, Rhode Island, going into my junior year of college at the University of Rhode Island. I chose Communicative Disorders with the goal of getting my Master’s in Speech Language Pathology. I’ve always wanted to work closely with people and children, and diversity, equity, and inclusion are extremely important to me. My little brother had speech lessons in school, which is what piqued my interest, but the more I learn about Speech Language Pathology and the different career paths I could take, the more inspired I am.”
Abby Rose Iiams
“My name is Abigail Iiams and I am from Bristol, Rhode Island. I am a junior majoring in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. I plan to finish up my bachelor's degree and then work towards earning my master's degree in Speech Language Pathology. I have always had a passion for working with children and making a difference in their lives. Children are so impressionable and vulnerable. If I could be a positive role model for children, my life's purpose would be fulfilled. I have been a part of a few internships that included speech therapy as an undergraduate student, and it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Working with children to improve their speech is so moving. Speaking is a huge part of our everyday lives and successfully doing it is crucial. The ability to successfully communicate with others is a skill everyone deserves to succeed with. I am so thankful I am able to have the opportunity to work towards achieving my dreams and I am excited to help children achieve theirs one day!”
2024 Scholarship Award Winners
Theodore “Teddy” Sanford
“I am a first year graduate student in the M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Rhode Island. I earned my B.A. in English from Rhode Island College in 2020. I am from East Providence. What inspired me to attend URI and study Speech-Language Pathology is a combination of my love for linguistics as well as helping other people. In studying English at RIC, I learned a lot about how language works and to me that has always been fascinating. I also worked for nearly a decade at a summer camp, and it was there that I really learned the value of teaching and helping others. My goal is to someday work in a school-based setting with children who are developing their speech, language, and hearing skills. Woking with a younger population to best utilize their speech skills and practices is something that I feel very passionate about. I currently work as a PASS worker where I teach young adults on the Autism Spectrum life skills as they transition to adulthood. I love what I do for work and I look forward to being able to help others in the future with the professional skills I am learning at URI. I think being able to help others achieve their true potential and unlock their skills and abilities is the best way to live life.”
Lawana Robertson
“I am 23 years old and was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island. I am currently a junior at Rhode Island College. I currently work in a daycare center as a lead toddler teacher and an assistant administrator. I have worked with babies and toddlers for the past two years. I love being a teacher and being able to teach young children. My major at RIC is communications, and I chose this major to become a speech-language pathologist. I have a younger sister who was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, and I used to watch people that did home-based therapeutic services (HBTS) come to our home and help her improve in her speech. They used pictures, instruments, music and other techniques to do this. As I watched them help her and saw her progress from saying a couple of words to full sentences, I knew that this was a career that I wanted to pursue. I have always had a love for children. I chose to pursue this major to be able to work and help young children, such as those with autism, who have speech delays, to improve in their speech. My education is just the first step in being able to do so. I believe every child deserves to have a voice to be able to fully express themselves, and if I can help with that then it is my goal to make it happen."
2023 Scholarship Award Winners
Gabriela Zuccolo
“I am an MS student at URI from North Providence, RI and am honored to receive this award in memory of Miya. I will think of her in my future endeavors, as I know she was making the world a better place with the clients she helped. Like Miya, I believe everyone deserves a voice; this inspired me to pursue a career in speech-language pathology. I’ve always had a desire to help others and I am motivated to work with individuals who have communicative disorders encompassing cognitive, language, and swallowing difficulties. I desire to be a competent clinician who treats all equally and accounts for the differences that make us all unique. I value my education and unique clinical experiences I have had thus far. I learn from every patient and am genuinely fulfilled to see the progress and strides they make. I know I’ve chosen the right field, and look forward to being a life-long learner as I put my best foot forward as I work with my clients and their families.”
Sydnee Pires
“I am from a small town in Massachusetts called Rochester. I attend Rhode Island College where I major in Communication with a concentration in Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. I am involved in many things here at the college, my favorite ones are being on the RIC volleyball team and becoming involved as a Resident Assistant. In my free time, I love to spend time with my family, friends, and my teammates. Becoming a Speech Pathologist has always been a dream of mine. When deciding what I wanted to do one day, I always knew that I wanted to help people. After seeing a speech specialist my class when I was young, that’s where my interest started. She was so compassionate with my classmates and made everyone feel so comfortable. I hope to do the same things she did with my students someday and help as many people as I can.”
2022 Scholarship Award Winners
Larissa Oliveira
“I was born and raised in Newark, New Jersey. Born to two hard-working parents, I was always taught the value of education and always enjoyed school. As I grew up, I realized that I felt most fulfilled when I was helping others. I also enjoyed learning about how people learn language and how the brain works. I discovered the field of Communicative Disorders (Speech-Language Pathology) in my senior year of high school after doing a quick Google search and I realized that it incorporated all the things I loved. Throughout my undergraduate career I continued to do my own research and learn more about speech pathology. I pursued a Bachelor’s in Psychology at Princeton University and then went on to attend University of Rhode Island’s Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Speech-Language Pathology, everyday feeling that I have chosen the right field. Despite having a strong passion for speech-language pathology, one thing that troubles me is the lack of diversity. Because the vast majority (92% according to The ASHA Leader) of speech-language pathologists identify as white, many children, adults, and families who come from non-white/minority backgrounds may not receive therapy that is tailored to their needs or cultural differences. As someone from a minority background, I have often seen my family struggle to communicate their needs, values, and desires to educators and professionals. I want to mitigate this miscommunication by proactively considering the values and needs of my clients and incorporating that into therapy. My clients will most likely be diverse: they will have diverse racial, cultural, linguistic, and economic backgrounds, so I will consider each client as an individual and provide individualized therapy that respects the goals and values of the family. Throughout my career, I hope to serve the community and support my clients and families.”
Hailey-Rose Coulter
“I am from North Providence, Rhode Island and have lived there my whole life. I started Rhode Island College in the Summer of 2018 majoring in Communication with a concentration in Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences with the goal of becoming a pediatric speech pathologist. I graduated from RIC in May of this year and am currently applying to graduate programs to further pursue my education in the field. I chose the field of communicative disorders because I believe that everyone should have the opportunity to better their communication skills and benefit from the experience. Attending therapy sessions should not be something that is dreaded, but rather anticipated because the patient knows they are getting something out of it; whether the steps in improvement are small or large, they should be able to feel empowered. ‘Communication at its best gives a voice to the unheard, and brings hope to our future.’”
