August 25, 2025
East Texas Baptist University celebrated the grand opening of the William B. Dean, M.D. Center for Language and Literacy Development with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Synergy Park in downtown Marshall. ETBU faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered Friday afternoon to dedicate the new clinic, which began serving clients on Monday, August 25.
“We are really grateful to the Lord for all that He has done and all that He is going to do through this clinic,” said Dr. Ana Paula Mumy, Chair for Speech-Language Pathology. “This center represents a tremendous opportunity not only to train our students but also to minister to and serve families in need of speech and language support.”
The William B. Dean Center for Language and Literacy Development offers no-cost evaluation and treatment services to individuals of all ages with communication, speech, language, literacy, and cognitive challenges. Appointments will be available Monday through Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings at Synergy Park, 100 N. Bolivar Street, Suite 302.
Made possible through a $500,000 grant from the Dean Foundation, the Center honors the legacy of the late Dr. William B. Dean, a pioneer in the treatment of learning differences and a passionate advocate for children with dyslexia. Dr. Dean devoted his life to removing barriers to learning, and the Center continues his mission by expanding access to care while also training the next generation of speech-language pathologists.
"Dr. William B. Dean devoted his life to children with speech and language needs, pioneering treatments and methodologies that continue today through places like Scottish Rite Hospital,” ETBU President Dr. J. Blair Blackburn said. “This clinic continues Dr. Dean’s legacy of service by preparing future generations to carry on that vital work."
The Center serves as a key clinical training site for students in ETBU’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program, who complete required clinical hours under the supervision of certified and licensed speech-language pathologists. The two-year graduate program, currently a Candidate for Accreditation by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA), prepares students for national certification and state licensure while integrating academic excellence with Christ-centered servant leadership.
"This program began with a vision to meet the shortage of speech-language pathologists in East Texas and to make services accessible and affordable for families,” President Blackburn said. “By training Christian servant leaders through this clinic, we are addressing a critical need in our region. We are shareholders in this program. Our responsibility is to steward what God has given us, this facility, these programs, and this incredible faculty, so that we can grow and touch as many lives as possible."
The need for speech-language services is especially significant in East Texas, where families often travel more than 100 miles for care. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for licensed speech-language pathologists is expected to grow by 21% through 2031, far outpacing the average growth rate for healthcare professions. ETBU’s MS-SLP program is designed to help address the regional and national shortage of speech-language pathologists.
“As I look at the pictures of Jesus in this clinic, I’m reminded of the way He ministered,” Vice President for Academics and Provost Dr. Thomas Sanders said. “When He met a leper, He reached out and touched him. When He healed the blind man, He spit in the ground, made clay, and touched his eyes. I think about the countless lives you will touch through this clinic—the lives that will be changed. The powerful thing is that we’re not only helping to heal the body, but also caring for the soul. That is the greater impact of your work.”
The Dean Center offers therapy and support in areas including:
• Language-Literacy Difficulties (reading comprehension, oral communication, written expression, academic language processing)
• Persistent Articulation Issues
• Accent Modification
• Stuttering
• Autism and Social Interaction Skills
• Executive Functioning Challenges (planning, organization, goal setting, working memory)
• Cognitive-Linguistic Difficulties (attention, processing speed, word retrieval, higher-order thinking)
• Swallowing Disorders
By providing both accessible community care and hands-on professional training, the William B. Dean Center for Language and Literacy Development embodies ETBU’s mission of preparing graduates to serve as Christian servant leaders who make a lasting impact in their communities.
For more information about clinic services, contact:
Rebecca Smith, Clinical Director
rpsmith@etbu.edu | 903.923.2315
For details about ETBU’s Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology program, contact:
Dr. Ana Paula Mumy, Program Director
apmumy@etbu.edu | 903.923.2836