AAMU Team Competes with Top Speech-Language Pathology Programs in Alabama
CSD Graduate Students Tie for Third at Statewide Quest for the Cup
Alabama A&M University Communicative Sciences and Disorders graduate students tied for third place at the 2026 Quest for the Cup Intercollegiate Scholars Bowl, a statewide academic competition hosted by the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama (SHAA).
The event was held Feb. 19 during the SHAA annual convention at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham–The Wynfrey Hotel, where graduate students in speech-language pathology programs competed in a fast-paced series of Praxis-style questions covering a broad range of topics in the field.
Representing Alabama A&M were second-year graduate students Karla Abrams of Thomasville, Georgia; Jayden Gilbert of Madison, Alabama; Grace Osgood of Fayetteville, Tennessee; Kortnee Roberts of Meridian, Mississippi; and Anna Williams of Arab, Alabama. First-year graduate student Zia George of Gadsden, Alabama, served as the team’s alternate.
Teams from seven Alabama universities competed in multiple rounds, earning one point for each correct response. Alabama A&M answered 32 of 40 questions correctly, finishing just two points behind the top score. The University of Montevallo won the competition with 34 points, while Alabama A&M tied for third place with Auburn University, the University of Alabama and the University of South Alabama. The team that placed last scored 24 points, highlighting how closely matched the field was.
Esther Phillips-Embden, assistant professor and director of clinical education for the CSD program, and Dalaina Horton, clinical supervisor and instructor, selected the students based on academic performance, knowledge of the discipline and interest in participating in the competition.
Often described as a “battle of the brains” for second-semester graduate students, Quest for the Cup brings together teams from speech-language pathology programs across Alabama to answer Praxis-style questions covering the field’s nine scopes of practice, including speech sound production, language, voice and resonance, swallowing and feeding disorders, cognitive-linguistic communication, hearing, fluency, and augmentative and alternative communication. This year marked the first time that every speech-language pathology program in the state participated. Alabama A&M, home to one of the oldest programs in Alabama, competed against teams from the University of Alabama, Auburn University, the University of South Alabama, Samford University, the University of Montevallo and Faulkner University.
Students said the competition offered both a challenge and an opportunity to collaborate with classmates in a high-pressure academic setting.
“Participating in Quest for the Cup was a great experience,” said Gilbert. “It was exciting to test our knowledge while collaborating as a team and building on each other’s strengths.”
“SHAA not only grew my confidence as a clinician, but also made me excited for all the opportunities in this field,” said Williams. “Our team was able to collaborate and work together, just as we do with other professionals, to provide the best care for our clients.”
The team was coached by Arpel Jones, an AAMU alumnus and private practice owner, and Dr. Jasmine Young, an AAMU alumna and adjunct instructor in the program.
“It was especially exciting to have graduates and alumni—now fellow colleagues—of our program present to support the team during the competition,” said Phillips-Embden. “Their presence reflected the strong sense of community and continued professional engagement within the AAMU CSD program. We are proud of our students’ performance and are already preparing to bring the trophy home next year.”
From left: Karla Abrams, Kortnee Roberts, Jayden Gilbert, Anna Williams, Grace Osgood, Zia George.