Faculty in the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Department of Special Education and Communication Disorders are recruiting students for the first cohort of its new MPUP-LEAD project that will provide interprofessional and leadership training to graduate students in deaf education, speech-language pathology and audiology who are interested in working with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH).
The MPUP-LEAD project, short for Mid-Plains Professional Upgrade Partnership in Leadership, Education, Advocacy and Deafness, is funded by a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education. It will support three cohorts of 10 students each over the next five years in the department and is open to students interested in working with individuals who are DHH and plan to pursue a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, a clinical doctorate in audiology, or a master’s degree and teaching endorsement in deaf education.
“Interprofessional collaboration and leadership skills are critical to ensuring effective service delivery for children who are deaf and hard of hearing,” said Anne Thomas, associate professor of practice in SECD and coordinator of the deaf education program. “We are excited to offer this unique training to prepare interprofessional leaders who will be change agents in their respective fields.”
MPUP-LEAD will provide students with specialized training to work effectively on interprofessional teams and deliver evidence-based instruction and interventions to children who are DHH. Students will also receive comprehensive leadership training that prepares them to lead with vision, shape policy, and advocate effectively for children who are DHH and their families.
Students selected to join MPUP-LEAD will complete 18-21 credit hours of shared coursework and have more than 75% of their tuition covered by the MPUP-LEAD funding. The first MPUP-LEAD cohort will begin in Summer 2026. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2026.
MPUP-LEAD is the third federally funded interdisciplinary personnel preparation project that Thomas and Kristy Weissling, professor of practice in SECD and coordinator of the speech-language pathology program, have developed at the university.
The first, MPUP-IP, was a five-year, $1 million grant that began in 2019 and supported 36 students, 17 in deaf education and 19 in speech-language pathology. The second, MPUP-SPADE, is a five-year, $1.17 million grant that began in 2022 and added the option for audiology students to participate. To date, the MPUP-SPADE project has supported 29 scholars, 12 in deaf education, 12 in speech-language pathology and five in audiology. The MPUP-LEAD project aims to support another 30 scholars, 12 in deaf education, 12 in speech-language pathology and six in audiology.
“We are building on our past success, strengthening the program with each new cohort,” said Weissling, William E. and Edna M. Barkley Professor. “The vision for this cohort is to equip scholars not only with expertise in interprofessional collaboration but also with the leadership skills to guide and advance that work. Developing strong leaders in the field is a powerful way to influence schools and clinics across Nebraska, the region, and the nation to advance interprofessional collaboration as a cornerstone of high-quality, person-centered care.”
Learn more about MPUP-LEAD by visiting the project webpage at https://go.unl.edu/mpup-lead.
College of Education and Human Sciences
Special Education and Communication Disorders
