AlumniNews Stories

Valerie Horn believes accessibility should be at the forefront of entrepreneurs’ minds when developing their businesses. This belief pushed her to co-found Zestability, a consultation firm that advocates for prioritizing accessibility and inclusive business practices.

RIT/NTID alum Tara Sarkin (Beltrami), who attended SVP in 2013, earned her associate degree in 2016, and a bachelor’s degree in hospitality and service management in 2019, has always been deeply passionate about winemaking. 

Adam Stone ’04 has been named to the board of the Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf’s Alumni Association.

RIT trustee and alumnus Andrew Jacobson has pledged $1 million in support of Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf. The Andrew Jacobson Endowed Scholarship represents the largest commitment by an RIT/NTID alumnus in the college’s history.

Arooj Ajaz ’15 (laboratory science technology), ’17 (university studies) is a leader who is enthusiastic about advocating for the inclusion of deaf youth and helping people become leaders in the Deaf community on a local and global scale.

The NTID Alumni Association Board of Directors had a wonderful spring meeting in April. The meeting was retreat-style at RIT’s Tait Preserve in Penfield, along with NTID Foundation Board. Both boards came together for great discussion and collaboration.

RIT graduate Liam Coleman was looking for a way to express how it feels to be caught within one’s own thoughts about navigating identity. As a Deaf person, Coleman ’19 (individualized program) questioned the role that signing or voicing plays with how they interact with the world and their gender expression.

For the past decade, Jingjing Pan ’06 (chemistry), ’09 (chemistry) has worked as a chemist for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a federal government agency with the mission of ensuring food safety and protecting the public health. Originally from China, Pan’s interest in chemistry began in her childhood when she read magazines about science. 

RIT/NTID alum Jon Mosholder ’09 (business) has a strong entrepreneurial spirit, putting his business degree to work running Bumbleberry Farms, which was founded by his mother, Karen, in 2011. 

Studying abroad can open doors to new adventures and experiences for any student. For Sarah Sabal, her experiences helped solidify and reinforce her sense of self.

Michael Rizzolo didn’t plan on learning American Sign Language when he came to RIT as a student, but he grew interested and eventually became an interpreter. Today, he is founder and CEO of the interpreting agency Interpretek.

Michelle Giterman ’14 (finance) grew up in a Deaf immigrant family that owns Crepe Crazy, a restaurant in Austin, Texas, where Giterman is the general manager. With a strong family background in entrepreneurship, Giterman was always fascinated by how the business world works. Eventually, she attended RIT/NTID to major in finance with an emphasis in communication. She says her time at RIT/NTID and her involvement in the entrepreneurship programs led her to a successful career in finance.