Growing up with Hearing Loss, Iona University Alumna Pays It Forward and Pursues Audiology Doctoral Program
Nicole Genser ’21 is studying to become an audiologist at Montclair State University
Pioneer. President. Gael.
As an Iona student, these were all words that could be used to describe Nicole Genser ’21, who served as the founding president of Iona’s American Sign Language (ASL) Club, where she sparked an enthusiasm of learning about Deaf culture that persists on campus today. Now, as an aspiring audiologist pursuing her Au.D. at Montclair State University, as well as a research assistant at the National Deaf Center (NDC), the term “changemaker” is added to that list.
Growing up with severe hearing loss, Genser knew that she wanted to become an audiologist early on, noting that audiologists with hearing loss bring a unique perspective to patient care and to the field as they empathize closely with the experiences of their patients.
Among her notable professional and academic achievements, Genser recently presented at several conferences, including the Educational Audiology Association, Assistive Technology Industry Association and the New Jersey Speech Language Hearing Association. She is also submitting two manuscripts to journals for publication.
As she prepares to begin her journey as an audiologist, Genser credits her time at Iona for providing the pathways to help get her there.
“I carry lessons learned from Iona’s Communication Sciences and Disorders Department, Psychology Department and Honors Program with me in my current academic life,” she said. “I see things holistically and think critically in all my classes and projects. The opportunities I had at Iona shaped me into the well-rounded leader I am.”