The Right Fit

I attended a School for the Deaf, so when I was looking for colleges I wanted access to deaf and hard-of-hearing people and individuals who would support me like I had growing up. At RIT I found a community of people to connect with and lean upon. RIT is providing me with many opportunities to help me be successful. The hands-on experience I got in 3D modeling in Revit and 2D modeling in AutoCad prepared me well for my co-op as an engineering intern at the City of Leawood Public Works Department. I was able to take what I learned in the classroom and apply it to real-world projects. RIT is giving me an amazing opportunity to achieve the goals I set for myself.

I chose RIT mainly because of the critical mass of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, faculty, and staff on campus. I grew up mainstreamed and was the only deaf student in my classes. It was really lonely and I wanted to be part of a Deaf community. RIT has been a good fit for me because of the diverse community. I’ve met other students just like me, but also developed friendships with students who come from completely different backgrounds from me and who expand my perspective on the world around me. I grew personally by being challenged academically in my classes, taking on leadership positions, completing two co-ops, and learning to be on my own. RIT has given me the kind of community I have been searching for my whole life. I’m not homesick because I have such a great community here. I came here with high expectations, and my experiences here are exceeding them.

I chose RIT primarily because of the college of NTID being a part of RIT. I grew up mainstreamed, and while I had deaf friends and deaf peers at my school, they were few and far between. The idea of not feeling "alone" on campus and being able to get the best of both worlds—the Deaf community and being mostly mainstreamed in my course work—was thrilling. Along with that, knowing that there would be captioning services and interpreters who would be able to keep up with the difficulty of science and engineering technical terminology was a huge factor. 

RIT has been a great fit for me because everyone I have met goes out of their way to make sure I feel welcomed and included, especially professors who give a lot of confidence to young deaf students finding their footing in this world. I would not be anywhere near as confident in myself without the love from the RIT community. 

When I was searching for a college I was looking for accessibility, community, and strong academics. I found these things at RIT. The accessibility at RIT for deaf and hard-of-hearing students is unmatched in quality, and is helping me be successful in my classes. The community at RIT has been incredible because I have had the chance to meet so many different types of people and create meaningful relationships and have fun experiences. I found a community and a culture where I am appreciated for what makes me unique. RIT’s amazing reputation in technology majors provides me an incredible and challenging environment in which to pursue my degree. Starting in the A+B program helped build my knowledge and skill set before I moved into a bachelor’s degree program.

Being one of only a few students who was deaf or hard of hearing in my high school influenced my decision to explore RIT. In college I wanted to be part of a larger Deaf community and get the academic rigor I needed to thrive. I chose RIT for these reasons as well as the outstanding accessibility and the many student clubs and organizations I could take part in. I have met a wide range of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students with varying backgrounds who I have connected with at RIT and I have grown as a leader. I am a member of Hands on Fire, speaker for the NTID Student Congress Assembly, and teach ASL at No Voice Zone. RIT is full of opportunities and provides a community where I belong and an environment where I am challenged.

After my high school experience of being the only deaf person in a large public school and feeling like an outsider, I knew I wanted a different experience in college. RIT is the perfect fit for me because it gives me the ability to be part of both the Deaf world and the hearing world, and I am forever grateful for that. I could not find this kind of opportunity at any other college. Because of RIT’s unique environment I have widened my social connections, and I believe this is what is helping me become successful both inside and outside the classroom.

In high school, I was in a mainstream program with only one other deaf person. It was a very isolating experience and although I could communicate with my peers, it was exhausting. After my sophomore year, I moved to a Deaf school to gain social interactions and it was there I grew as a person and reconnected to my Deaf identity. I chose RIT/NTID because I wanted to be part of both the Deaf world and the hearing world, and also be able to accomplish my other goals, especially pursuing my passion for theater. I wanted to have instruction in both ASL and spoken English, as I’ve been raised using both. I knew that if I had gone to another university, I would not have been able to fully dive into experiences as I have here. RIT fits my criteria of a top-choice school because it’s a vibrant campus that embraces the Deaf community. The academics are top-notch and the unique performing arts program has allowed me to develop my acting skills and collaborate with hearing and deaf performers. Opportunities is the one word I would use to describe RIT, and I’m so glad I chose this university.

Searching for college and deciding which school to go to was an easy process for me. Although all the schools I toured interested me in terms of having a nice campus or a particular major I was interested in, none of the schools would come even close to having accommodations for the deaf and hard-of-hearing students that RIT/NTID offers. 

RIT is a good fit for me because of accommodations I get in and out of the classroom, and how seamlessly I can be involved in activities and classes. I am a three-sport varsity athlete here at RIT: cross country in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track in the spring. I am surrounded by a great group of people who I have become friends with. 

Coming from a mainstream school made RIT/NTID stand out because of everything the school has to offer here that I just could not get access to in grade school.

I see myself as a strong, deaf Black woman who can make a difference in the world as a scientist. Because RIT/NTID was a college that catered to the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and has students enrolled from all over the world, I felt that I could fit in comfortably because of this diversity. My decision to enroll was based on my ability to learn, relate, and empathize with all different types of cultures that I would hopefully experience.
 
At RIT, I excel in and out of the classroom. I was named the NTID Undergraduate Delegate for my accomplishments. As a student leader I have served as president of Hands of Fire, secretary of the Asian Deaf Club, as an ASL consultant in the Department of Access Services, and was a member of the Randleman Program, working with interpreters of color. I also serve as a research assistant in NTID’s Deaf Health Lab. All of these experiences have prepared me well for my future.

RIT is a good fit for me because of its phenomenal technology programs and the accommodations the college provides deaf and hard-of-hearing students, including interpreters, captionists, and notetakers. These access services allow me to interact in class without facing any communication barriers or challenges. Growing up in a mainstreamed environment as a deaf person, I wanted to learn more about my deaf identity and have the opportunity to be part of a deaf community. AT RIT, there are endless opportunities to get involved, and I’ve grown to learn more about myself than I ever knew.

Welcoming. It’s the word I use to describe RIT. Regardless of your background, RIT welcomes everyone and it’s one of the main reasons I chose to come here. I attended a mainstream high school, but had friends growing up who were both hearing and deaf. When searching for a college I wanted a Deaf community, strong academics, work experiences in my field before I graduate, and many opportunities to get involved. RIT offers me all of this and more. Here I have access to both the deaf and hearing worlds. This unique environment offers me an experience of what I will face in my workplace after I graduate.

The resources available for deaf and hard-of-hearing students greatly influenced my decision as a deaf person to choose RIT. I also was impressed with the various computing-related programs the university offered, the co-op program that helps students prepare for their careers, and the high employment rate for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. RIT is a wonderful university with many opportunities. I am especially thankful for the NTID Co-op and Career Center that works with employers around the country to hire deaf co-op students and graduates. For my co-op, I got hired by First Republic Bank in California as their first deaf software engineering intern thanks to the efforts of NCCC. Having a career center that specializes in helping deaf and hard-of-hearing students get co-ops and jobs is something I did not find at other universities. RIT is the perfect place to prepare for my career and set me up for success.