In 1973 she received the Rackham Prize Fellowship from which helped her complete her Ph.D. in speech communication. In appreciation for her funding, she has endowed the Joan B. Kessler Awards to enable exceptional graduate students to conduct research around the world or to participate in professional and academic conferences. The annual Kessler Award has already made a wonderful difference in the lives of 22 women. Dr. Kessler strongly believes in the importance of supporting the next generation of scholars and professionals. Pages1