Inaugural Martin Scholar Award Recipient Shares CSD Journey
Graduate student Payton White still recalls the moment she found out that she was selected to receive the inaugural Martin Scholar Award, given by Baylor University’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD). At the time, she was earning her undergraduate degree in CSD—she felt blessed and honored, especially to be able to celebrate this accomplishment with her family.
“It kind of stopped me in my tracks. I re-read the award email 10 times before I said anything,” White said. “My parents were there with me, so I double-checked with them that I had read the email right! Everyone was super excited.”
The Martin Scholar Award granted White a full-ride scholarship to continue her education in speech-language pathology. Now, she is on track to graduate in May 2026 with her Master of Science degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
“Payton is exactly the kind of student the Martin Scholar Award was created to support,” said Michaela Ritter, EdD, CCC-SLP, The Martin Family Endowed Chair in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. “She demonstrates exceptional academic achievement, a strong record of service, and an active Christian faith.”
Relationships and Opportunities
Early in Baylor’s residential master’s program, White had the opportunity to work as one of Ritter’s graduate student employees, helping in the research lab and gaining hands-on experience collecting and inputting data while working at Camp Success, an intensive summer program designed to help children improve language and literacy. White has gratitude for Ritter, and other faculty members, who greatly impacted her time at Baylor as an undergraduate—a key inspiration for her to return for graduate school.
“A lot of the professors in the undergrad program are also clinical supervisors in grad school, and I really love that,” White expressed. “I knew I wanted to stay at Baylor CSD because they truly care about the students.”
Beyond the “incredible and supportive” faculty, White chose to extend her time at Baylor because of the ample clinical experiences provided to her. As an undergraduate student, she participated in local clinics and volunteered at Baylor Scott & White Medical Hospital where she learned first-hand how to perform procedures such laryngoscopy, a scoping procedure going from the nose to the throat. In her first year as a graduate student, White gained invaluable experience working in the Baylor Speech-Language and Hearing Clinic, as well as the Mary Jo Robbins Clinic for Autism Research and Practice. Throughout subsequent semesters, White has worked at Baylor’s Camp Success, Lakeshore Village Nursing and Rehab in Waco, and at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center outside of Houston, Texas.
“These opportunities were very much made possible by the Martin Scholar Award. I’m closer to achieving my future career goals as a speech-language pathologist,” White said.
A Sense of Purpose
Becoming a recipient of the scholarship played a large influence into White’s ability to attend graduate school because it lifted a financial burden off her and her family. In addition, it allowed for motivation that spurred her to excel in the accelerated degree program.
“My scholarship helped me stay focused by giving me a strong sense of purpose throughout grad school—it is such a high honor—it feels like true recognition of my potential and a reminder of what I’m working toward,” White stated. “It keeps me motivated to stay disciplined, manage my time well, and consistently show up at a high level in my coursework and responsibilities.”
White attributes her passion for speech-language pathology to her mother, who is a speech therapist. As a result, White was exposed to the profession from a young age and watched her mother help change lives. She was greatly inspired by her mother’s ability to help people who had lost the ability to communicate gain back that part of their life.
“Just seeing how much we can improve people’s quality of life and being able to make connections with people daily and being a light for them is what drives me to purse a future career in a skilled nursing facility or rehabilitation for outpatients and inpatients,” White said.
She says Baylor has helped to further develop her inspiration, dedicated work ethic, and faith-driven desire to serve others in the healthcare field. As a critical figure in White’s time at Baylor, she says Ritter’s confidence in her abilities and future career speaks volumes.
Ritter pointed out that when students like White win scholarship awards, such as the Martin Scholar Award, “it signals that our program is producing scholars and clinicians who stand out at a national level,” upholding the strong reputation of Baylor and highlighting the competitiveness of the program as well as how sought after it is by students nationwide.
“Payton has a clear testimony of God’s work in her life and a commitment to serving others,” Ritter said. “As a future speech-language pathologist, Payton will be a strong advocate for individuals with communication disorders. She represents Baylor, and our profession, with integrity and a commitment to excellence.”
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research, and innovation. It includes seven academic departments—Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Physician Assistant Studies; and Public Health. Robbins College offers 13 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online, and hybrid.