Stuttering Intervention Scholarship

My name is Stan Craig, Jr. and I’m a high school junior in Richmond, VA. I’m raising funds to support at least one full scholarship* to Hollins Communications Research Institute (HCRI) in Roanoke, VA. https://www.stuttering.org/.

*UPDATE: One scholarship fully supported. Next goal: Support at least two (2) full scholarships! 

 

I am asking for sponsorship donations of my time as an HCRI intern this summer, with 100% of donations going to a scholarship fund for HCRI tuition for teens or young adults who do not have the means to afford this specialized stuttering intervention.

 

One HCRI tuition is $4285, which does not include accommodations and travel for 12 days of treatment (HCRI participants will spend a minimum of $6000). Affording treatment is a privilege- one I want to afford others. I hope you will help me.

 

As an aspiring physician and researcher, I will intern at HCRI in June 2022 alongside Dr. Ron Webster, founder and president of HCRI. I received an endowment from my high school to support my internship travel and accommodations this June. My summer research will involve developing quantitative measurements for differentiating stuttering from fluent speech.

 

I am also the founder and leader of a weekly stuttering support group for teens, SSEAT, Stuttering Support, Empathy, and Advocacy for Teens. SSEAT’s mission is to provide a safe community for stuttering teens to support each other through social, emotional, and academic impacts of their expressive language differences. SSEAT provides opportunities for teens to practice their speech targets and promotes advocacy of stuttering research and intervention.

 

My Stuttering Journey:

 

I began stuttering at three-years-old and battled my expressive language disability until I was fortunate enough to receive intensive intervention at HCRI when I was 12-years-old. My stuttering impacted my life on many levels, leaving me almost mute when I was in middle school. It took me up to 17 attempts to produce an initial sound. I developed a secondary behavior of head nodding, which exacerbated my struggles to communicate with peers and teachers. Even though I persevered, plowing through my dysfluency, I was passed up for public speaking opportunities and parts in plays. I was treated differently by kids and adults alike. Now a junior in high school, I participate fully in public speaking, from answering questions in classes and giving speeches to run for leadership positions to just inserting myself in conversations with friends.

 

My HCRI intervention changed my life, teaching me to clearly say for the first time at 12-years-old, “Hi, my name is Stan Craig.” I was the youngest participant HCRI ever had at the time, and I will be forever grateful for the risk my clinicians took on me and the patience and unyielding support shown to me during my time at HCRI.

 

Please see below a video of me saying my name for the first time during my intervention at HCRI.

Thank you for reading my story and considering a contribution- any support is greatly appreciated.

With gratitude,
Stan Craig, Jr.
May 2022