Asbury Foundation Honors Maureen Martin through Gift to DuBard School

Dr. Maureen K. Martin spent more than four decades serving students with language disorders at The University of Southern Mississippi through various roles. In June of 2017, Martin retired as the director of the DuBard School for Language Disorders.

Prior to that position, she served the Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences as supervisor of clinical practicum, a speech-language pathologist and an educator of the deaf. The legacy she leaves is one of immeasurable impact. 

To honor her dedication and service, the Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg Inc. contributed $100,000 to create the Maureen K. Martin DuBard School Support Endowment upon her retirement.

“The Asbury Foundation has been an extraordinary friend to the DuBard School for many years. They helped build classrooms for our current facility, provided the funds needed to open classrooms when state funds were insufficient and have continued to support the mission of giving oral and written language to those served by the DuBard School,” Martin said. “Their numerous contributions in multiple areas of our community are truly inspirational, and I am deeply moved and humbled by their continued generosity with this endowment in my name. This gift will impact the lives of children for years to come.”

“The Asbury Foundation has a long relationship with the DuBard School, as well as the University as a whole,” said Bill Ray, president and chief executive officer of the Asbury Foundation of Hattiesburg. “Dr. Martin's career and her selfless works are a testament to her spirit and loyal dedication to the students of the DuBard School, their families and each staff member and graduate student who have worked alongside her.”

Over the course of her career at the DuBard School, Martin has been a vital part of the school's incredible growth. There were only three students when she began working there as a speech-language pathologist in 1975, under the late Dr. Etoile DuBard who founded the school. Today, the DuBard School has an enrollment of 80 full-time students and dozens more through outclient services in the 17,000-square-foot facility.

Established in 1962, the DuBard School for Language Disorders is a clinical division of The University of Southern Mississippi's Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences. The school was designed to serve children with severe language-speech disorders, including developmental aphasia and childhood apraxia of speech, deafness and hearing impairments, as well as those with the written language disorder of dyslexia through use of the DuBard Association Method®. The school is also  an observation and practicum site for many University departments. Other services of the DuBard School include guidance and counseling for parents and families of the children.

Throughout her years of leadership, Martin influenced countless individuals through direct services, professional training, curriculum development and research. Her stewardship, along with the legacy of Dr. DuBard, has laid a strong foundation upon which the DuBard School will continue to build.

“We are grateful to the Asbury Foundation for making such a generous gift in honor of Dr. Martin's legacy of love at the DuBard School,” said Michele “Missy” Schraeder, interim director of the DuBard School. “The Endowment will provide much-needed financial support to our enrollment and outclient programs as we provide life-changing services to individuals with language disorders.”

Those who wish to honor Dr. Martin's retirement and support the DuBard School for Language Disorders through a contribution can visit usmfoundation.com/dubard-martin.