Passaic Today

Grace Gleba and Nicole Genser, both Doctor of Audiology students at Montclair State University, are set to graduate this week. They have turned their personal experiences with hearing loss into careers in audiology. Both were fitted with hearing aids as infants and now transition from students to professionals during a ceremony at the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders.

Their journey began at Summit Speech School, a preschool for children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Although they were not close then, they reconnected years later at Montclair State University. "It feels like an invisible string tied us together," says Gleba. Genser adds, "We’ve supported one another while learning to navigate this field – not just as patients, but now as providers."

Maryrose McInerney, Director of the Doctor of Audiology Program, commends them: “Grace and Nicole bring a unique and empathetic perspective to audiology shaped by their hearing loss.”

Gleba’s advocacy work began early in her life when she became the namesake of “Grace’s Law,” requiring insurance coverage for children's hearing aids in New Jersey. Her mother Jeanine Gleba explains their efforts: “When a parent learns at birth that their child is deaf, it is devastating.” However, she adds that they never let Grace's deafness define her.

Both students thrived in Montclair’s research-based program. They conducted pioneering research on challenges faced by audiologists with hearing loss. Gleba presented her findings on modified listening stethoscopes at the New Jersey Speech-Language-Hearing Association (NJSLHA). Genser explored distortion in modified listening scopes and published her work in an academic journal.

Beyond academics, both women engaged in community service and leadership roles. They conducted hearing screenings at various events and served as co-presidents of the Student Academy of Audiology.

Supported by family and faculty, both credit their success to strong support networks. "Having a strong understanding support network made all the difference," says Genser.

Gleba will become vestibular director at Adept Audiology in Florida while Genser will join the Center for Hearing and Communication in Manhattan. "Completing my doctoral degree is a deeply meaningful moment for me," says Genser.

Jeanine Gleba expresses pride: “For all parents, graduation is a shining moment... Our daughter is now a doctor! Proud is an understatement.”

Montclair State University will celebrate its graduates on May 7 and 8, 2025, at Prudential Center in Newark.