2008 Accomplished Graduates

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Bonnie Valiant ’61 - In addition to her longtime work as a speech and hearing therapist in public schools, Bonnie Valiant has volunteered extensively on behalf of the Spina Bifida Associations in Illinois and nationally. Now retired, Mrs. Valiant has also served the Lisle, Ill. Chamber of Commerce, Community United Methodist Church in Naperville, Ill., and the Edward Foundation Board of Edward Hospital.

In her various positions for the Illinois Spina Bifida Association, Mrs. Valiant developed and implemented the Association’s Family Outreach Program (which served as a model for partner organizations throughout the U.S.), created seminars and advocated for the group through in-service training programs and fundraising.

She is also an active member of P.E.O. International, which provides educational scholarships for women as well as funds for senior women and others in need. Mrs. Valiant resides in Lisle, Illinois.

Dr. Craig W. Newman ’75, ‘77 - Since 1994, Dr. Craig W. Newman has served as section head for audiology of the Head and Neck Institute at The Cleveland Clinic, as well as professor for the Department of Surgery at the Clinic’s Lerner College of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University.

Dr. Newman received his B.S. and M.A. degrees from BGSU before moving on to earn a doctorate in audiology from Case Western Reserve in 1982.

In addition to faculty appointments at The Ohio State University and Kent State University, Dr. Newman is involved in several areas of The Cleveland Clinic, including his roles as co-director of the Tinnitus Management Clinic, conference co-director for Management of Infants and Children with Hearing Loss in 1996, and many others.

Dr. Newman has been an active member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association since 1978 and also contributes to the efforts of the American Tinnitus Association, the Ohio Speech and Hearing Association, the American Auditory Society, and other organizations related to his field.

His honors and awards include the 2007 Presidential Award from the American Academy of Audiology, the 2007 Research Award from the Ohio Academy of Audiology, a Certificate of Appreciation from the American Tinnitus Association in 2006 and the 2004 Jerger Career Award for Research in Audiology from the American Academy of Audiology.