Amid the sounds of a bustling campus this spring will be the quiet beeps of pure-tone sound resonating from headphones in the Erb Memorial Union at four different free hearing screenings throughout the month of May.

As a part of National Better Hearing and Speech Month through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, free hearing screenings will be conducted in the EMU Cedar and Spruce rooms May 8 and 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., May 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and May 30 from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Two of the four screening days, on May 8 and 30, will have on-site Spanish interpreters in an effort to broaden the reach of the screening opportunity.

According to statistics from the National Center for Health, approximately 15 percent of adults 18 and over report some trouble hearing. The screenings happening this May not only will give people an opportunity to spot possible abnormalities in their hearing function but also let students give back to the community.

Organized by University of Oregon clinical assistant professor Franklin Bender, graduate students will conduct the screenings to gain the important hands-on work experience central to the College of Education’s mission, Bender said.

“As a person who was diagnosed with a significant hearing loss at the age of 26, I personally know the value of having my hearing screened,” Bender said. “I learned early on that my hearing ability is directly associated with my quality of life. You are never too young or too old to have your hearing checked or to take advantage of hearing management and/or technologies that can change your life.”

However, the screening and information gained at the event, while valuable, is not a replacement for a visit to a licensed audiologist.

“We’re not licensed audiologists, and so if we did find something that was atypical then we would refer them to the proper individuals,” Bender said.

Open to anyone age 5 and up, the hearing screenings also benefit much more than just the participants. Volunteers are learning important skills, giving back to the community and gaining volunteer hours for future career opportunities.

“By being in a helping profession, we have a responsibility to provide education and/or access, to all community members regarding speech, language and hearing services,” said Jasmine Guantez, a first-year graduate student in the communications disorders and sciences program.

The event involves more than 40 volunteers, but once participants get in the chair the screening will only take five minutes, Bender said.

The College of Education is partnering with the UO chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association, UO Nontraditional and Veteran Student Engagement Group, Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and licensed audiologists from Hearing Associates Inc.

"I believe that the UO hearing screening days are representative of the mission, purpose and vision of the University of Oregon and the College of Education,” Bender said. “This event will allow emerging practitioners to gain valuable clinical experience within the discipline of communication disorders and sciences, while also promoting hearing education and free hearing screenings. This is just one way that the UO College of Education and the communication disorders and sciences program can give back to our community.”

To learn more about the hearing screenings, visit the Accessible Education Center website.

—By Bryan Dorn, University Communications