In Memoriam: Joan McMahon 1931-2013 5 oan McMahon, Associate Professor Emerita of Communication, was born August 29, 1931 in Waco, Texas, and died July 26, 2013, in Portland. She is survived by her daughter, Sue Hopper (John) Portland; grandson Sean Dasso, of San Diego; and a sister, Virginia (Gingy) Dixon of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She was predeceased by her brother, Burney, and sister, Jean. As an undergraduate, Professor McMahon attended Baylor University, 1948-1954, but withdrew to marry and start a family. She attended Portland State, where she earned a bachelor’s (1969) degree in Elementary Education in Speech and Hearing Sciences (SPHR), and master’s (1970) degree in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She enrolled in the PSU Speech and Hearing Sciences Program’s first class. She later obtained a Certificate of Clinical (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing association. Prior to joining PSU’s Department of Speech Communication in 1972 as an instructor, Joan accumulated wide-ranging professional experience. She served as a speech clinician in the Division of Continuing Education’s Headstart Program at Bush Elementary School in Salem; held a part-time instructorship at Chemeketa Community College; and concurrently worked as a speech-language pathologist for Portland Public Schools. Joan began her PSU career as an instructor, advanced to assistant professor in 1977, reached the associate level in 1981, and retired as emerita in 1995. A highlight of her innovative PSU career includes establishment coordination, and supervision of SPHR’s “Urban Language Clinic” which provided three-day-a-week assistance for minority preschool children who exhibited language delay or disorder symptoms. This program afforded specially designed graduate and undergraduate training for clinicians planning to engage in teaching assignments in diverse urban settings. In 1985 she and a colleague submitted a successful Personnel Preparation grant application to the U.S. Office of Education which was subsequently renewed three times for a total of $205,000. The same federal agency approved a similar grant in 1991. Professor McMahon especially dedicated her energies to serving students, and thereby prepared a large number of well-qualified practitioners in speech and hearing careers. She gained recognition as an outstanding advisor for student participants in PSU’s chapter of the National Student Speech, Language and Hearing Association, and initiated the organization’s newsletter. She was an outstanding instructor, supervisor, advisor, and student advocate, and often involved students in professional activities. In 1992 she made a well-received presentation on student supervision at the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics World Congress in Hanover, Germany. She co-authored several articles in state and national publications. Upon her retirement in 1995, the local NSHLA chapter honored her by establishing the Joan McMahon Endowed Scholarship for student Travel to support attendance at conferences. Memorial contributions in her name may be sent to the Portland State University Foundation, P.O. Box 243, Portland OR 97207-0243 or made online Professor McMahon leaves a highly regarded legacy of achievements and accomplishments in the field of speech and hearing sciences. University colleagues with shared interests in remedial education highly respected her productivity and dedication to the institutional mission. The University owes her a lasting debt of gratitude for her selfless contributions. --Victor C. Dahl, Emeritus Professor of History with assistance from Mary Gordon Brannon, Emerita Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences. J
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