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CHP dean receives national honor by Kathy J. Gatten College of Health Professions Teaching in a health discipline is a lot like planting seeds—you don’t know how you’ve impacted the profession until long after those seeds have sprouted. Unless, of course, your colleagues recognize you with their highest honor. In the mid-1980s, Danielle Ripich, Ph.D., who is now MUSC’s College of Health Professions dean, became chair of Case Western Reserve University’s Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) Department.  Right away, she realized she needed guidance— her role as an assistant professor had not prepared her for this.  She found the help she needed in the Council of Academic Programs in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a group of nearly 300 CSD department chairs from around the nation. The members of this group became her mentors, providing leadership development, grant-writing tips, and negotiation pointers. She has returned the favor by serving both on their board and as their president.  Earlier this month in San Diego, Ripich received the Honors of the Council, the group’s highest award. Given only periodically, this honor is reserved for someone whose educational contributions have been so great that they are recognized throughout the professional community. “I was very touched by this award,” Ripich said. “For 20 years, I’ve educated speech pathologists and audiologists, believing that I was guiding them to do the right things. Having my career contributions recognized by a group that I respect so much is a wonderful acknowledgement.”