Rate My Professor Valerie Boyer

Valerie E. Boyer, PhD, CCC-SLP, serves as Director of the School of Health Sciences and tenured Associate Professor in the Communication Disorders and Sciences program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, where she also holds the Mark and Susan Ashley Endowed Professorship. A triple alumna of SIU Carbondale, she earned her B.S. and M.S. in Communication Disorders and Sciences, followed by a Ph.D. in Special Education in 2006. Beginning her career as a speech-language pathologist in the region, she joined the SIU faculty in 2009, advancing through several promotions. By 2013, she became director of the Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders, followed by appointment as program director of Communication Disorders and Sciences in 2015, and later elevated to her current role leading the School of Health Sciences. Licensed as a speech-language pathologist with a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Dr. Boyer teaches key courses including CDS 505 Phonological Development and Disorders, CDS 507 Language Disorder, and CDS 517 Birth to Three Communication Disorders.

Dr. Boyer's academic specializations encompass pediatric language development and disorders, particularly among young children, those with autism spectrum disorders, children from diverse backgrounds, and the scholarship of teaching and learning. Under her leadership, the School of Health Sciences supports SIU Carbondale's missions of teaching, research, and service across nine disciplines, including Communication Disorders and Sciences, Dental Hygiene, and Occupational Therapy, preparing students to improve lives as future health professionals. Her commitment to excellence in teaching and mentorship is recognized through multiple honors: the Rehabilitation Institute Tenure-Track Teacher of the Year Award (2010, 2012, 2014), the Center for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Mentorship Award from the College of Education and Human Services (2015), and the SIU Women of Distinction Award (2024). Through her roles, Dr. Boyer has made significant contributions to training speech-language pathologists and supporting community needs in health sciences.