Rate My Professor Kathryn Blankenship

Kathryn Blankenship, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Undergraduate Program Coordinator for Speech Language Pathology and Audiology in the Department of Health and Human Performance at Middle Tennessee State University. She joined the faculty as a new hire in 2014 and oversees an undergraduate-only program, one of the few in Tennessee, which equips students with foundational knowledge and skills for graduate studies in speech-language audiology or clinical audiology doctorates. Students gain practical experience through the on-campus Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic, conducting client assessments, treatment planning, documentation, and family interactions under faculty supervision. Blankenship holds the Ph.D. and maintains an active phone line at 615-898-2272 for program inquiries.

Blankenship's research specializations center on speech-language pathology and audiology, with a focus on undergraduate education and clinical applications. She has co-authored several peer-reviewed publications, including 'Speech perception in children with cochlear implants for larger vocabulary sizes' in the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (2018), 'Anatomy Word-Learning in Undergraduate Speech-Language Pathology Students' in Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups (2020, with J.L. Kullmar), and contributions to 'Vocabulary & Academic Success in University Students' (2022, with S. Irvin et al.). Her mentorship has led undergraduate researchers to secure grants from MTSU's Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, publish award-winning studies, and present at national conferences such as the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR). Notable collaborations include guiding senior Victoria Trevino in a study on visual language input for vocabulary learning, featured on MTSU's 'Out of the Blue' program. Blankenship serves on the Scholars Week Organizing Committee, participates in Undergraduate Research Center and Evaluation of Creative Activity (URECA) initiatives, co-leads the Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Student Ambassador Program with Karen Davis, and received an AIM Higher Grant as Associate Professor of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology. Her work enhances student preparation and advances pedagogical practices in communication disorders.