Ackley Scholarship 2024 Recipient

2024 Recipient Jacqueline Kutz

My name is Jacquelin Kutz, and I am a third-year Doctor of Audiology student at Gallaudet University. I am from Houston, TX and received my Bachelor of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Sign Language Interpretation at Baylor University in Waco, TX. I am passionate about providing audiology services to patients using their preferred modes of communication and language. Gallaudet’s passion for training clinically and culturally competent audiologists drew me to this amazing program. My time at Gallaudet has given me a multitude of unique experiences both within the Deaf community and the greater DC area, and I am forever grateful! 

This June marks the beginning of my externship at the Texas Hearing Institute, a pediatric non-profit clinic serving the Houston area with audiology, speech-language pathology, education, and family support services. I’m excited to embark on this new educational chapter, confident that Gallaudet’s AuD program has equipped me well for the challenges ahead. 

Being honored with the Steve Ackley Memorial Scholarship Fund is profoundly humbling, and I am deeply grateful for the generosity of its contributors. Though I didn’t have the privilege of knowing Dr. Ackley personally, I sincerely appreciate the legacy he left behind—a legacy defined by an unyielding pursuit of knowledge, a commitment to mentorship, and a fervent advocacy for humanitarian causes. I strive to uphold these principles, honoring his memory throughout my career and encouraging others to follow his lead.