Posted 12/07/2006
SUPER DUPER ALUMNA
Sharon Webber's scholarship helping others become speech-language pathologists

Arnold School alumna Sharon G. Webber (MS, 1981) is a recognized speech-language pathologist and a creative entrepreneur who has parlayed her considerable talents into building, along with her husband, Thomas, a highly successful company serving the needs of her field.

The Webbers are now paving the way for others to enter the profession through an annual scholarship they have established for master’s level speech-language pathologists in the Arnold School.

“I want the fellowship to help students in financial need whose hearts have led them to the field of speech-language pathology. Hopefully, the fellowship will help relieve some of the financial pressure so students can concentrate on their studies,” Sharon said in speaking of their gift.

From 1981-1985, Sharon worked as a speech-language pathologist in the Greenville County School System in South Carolina. In 1982, she received her Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

While working as a practitioner in the field, Sharon realized the need for practical and creative teaching tools to use in therapy. So, back in 1986, she wrote and illustrated her first two reproducible workbooks specifically for speech-language pathologists to help them in their classroom therapy.

The success and wide use of those initial materials inspired Sharon and Thomas to launch Super Duper® Publications that same year.  For the past 20 years she has personally authored and created a wide variety of innovative educational materials for speech-language pathologists, special educators, teachers, and parents. 

In 1993, she established the first Speech-Language-Hearing University Partner Program™ through Super Duper® Publications for all certified master’s level speech and language programs in the United States and Canada. Since its inception, the program has donated over $5 million dollars worth of complimentary therapy materials to 232 universities. Master’s level students use these materials daily.

 In 2000, Sharon established the first Special Education University Partner Program™, which has given over $2 million in materials to 282 master’s level special education programs in the USA and Canada.

 “I have been extremely fortunate to have been able to develop innovative materials for SLPs and other educators over the past 20 years. I can think of no other type of work that would have given me greater satisfaction. I love to create, and I love interacting with the extremely talented employees at Super Duper® Publications as they apply their gifts to developing and providing fun educational and therapy materials for children,” Sharon says of her endeavors.

Sharon has been widely recognized for her contributions in the field. She received the 2004 Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of South Carolina’s Arnold School of Public Health. She was also the first recipient, in 2004, of the Distinguished Alumni Lifetime Achievement Award in Speech Pathology and Audiology from the College of Education, University of Georgia. 

In 2001, Super Duper® Publications received the Friends of the Foundation Award from Communication Disorders Foundation for the company’s constant support and commitment to the Communication Disorders Foundation and to the field of audiology and speech-language pathology.

In addition to the fellowship in the Arnold School, other institutions have also been the recipients of their philanthropy. They have established scholarships at the USC School of Law, from which Thomas graduated, and at the University of Georgia, Sharon’s undergraduate alma mater, and Notre Dame, where Thomas received his bachelor’s degree.  

Although Thomas has been a partner in the company since its inception, he closed his law practice in 1997 to devote all of his time to the highly successful multi-million dollar company with more than 100 employees.

Today, both he and Sharon are highly involved in every aspect of the business on a daily basis. They are also the busy parents of six children - Abby, Abe, Samantha, Gabe, Maddy, and Nate.