From the NTID President's Office

Welcome to May and my final update for this academic year. What a year it has been, ending on positive notes with Imagine RIT, Convocation, and Commencement, and bittersweet farewells to our retiring colleagues. Read more on all of these events in this edition. You also will notice an abundance of “Kudos” this month, and I’m extending a personal “kudos” to each of you for a job well done this year. Enjoy your summer, and I look forward to an exciting 2022-23 academic year when we meet again in the fall.

Gerry

Archives

Imagine RIT made its in-person return April 23 with plenty of interesting and exciting exhibits. Special thanks to our NTID exhibitors:

• SPaCE Center Labs (deaf x lab and the NTID PLAY Lab)
• Experience Smart Glasses Enhancing Language Access for Healthcare
• Mobius Squared
• American Sign Language and ProTactile ASL
• Visual Media Capstone Projects
• Project Iris and PopSign, both projects through NTID’s Center on Access Technology

We are so proud of our delegates, Maameyaa Asiamah, convocation and commencement speaker; Lia Horyczun, graduate delegate and NTID commencement speaker; and Taylor Harris, NTID commencement speaker. 

Our newly minted alumni include:

• 331 total graduates
• 97 with an associate degree
• 45 interpreting graduates 
• 20 from MSSE 
• Eight from the health care interpreting program
• 161 deaf and hard-of-hearing graduates from other colleges of RIT

Congratulations to all!

On April 29, we celebrated retirees from 2020, 2021, and 2022. We extend our thanks to each of them for all of their contributions to the success of our students.

2022 retirees:

• Scott Bellinger
• Susan Chapel
• Lisa deWindt-Sommer    
• Jeannette Giagios
• Jonathan Hopkins
• Jennifer Kelly
• Aaron Kelstone
• Eugene Lylak
• Deborah Makowski
• Ed Mineck
• Kathleen Parisi
• Dominic Peroni
• Jean Rodman
• Vince Samar 
• Shyrl Scalice
• Joseph Stanislow

Join me in congratulating the following NTID faculty who received promotions as of AY 2022-23:

• Dr. Patricia Kenney, Sr. lecturer
• Ernest Roszkowski, principal lecturer
• Erin Auble, principal lecturer
• Dr. Kim Kurz, professor
• Dr. Jessica Cuculick, professor
• Dr. Pamela Kincheloe, professor
• Andrea Zuchegno, associate professor

NTID faculty receiving promotion and tenure as of AY 2022-23:

• Dr. Robyn Dean, associate professor

National Decision Day every May 1 is the bellwether of every school’s incoming class. NTID Admissions is pleased to report, offering an eagle’s eye view of the incoming class, we are looking at an excellent cohort. We are well ahead of our goal for deaf and hard-of-hearing bachelor’s degree students, and we are continuing to enroll associate degree students, who historically tend to confirm enrollment over the summer. We are about even with MSSE, health care interpreting, returning deaf and hard-of-hearing, and ASLIE student populations.

This is only half of the equation, as much work is done over the summer months—not only for the incoming students, but also for current students who persist to the next academic year. Academic departments can support retention and persistence with continued communication of the importance of degree completion.

The department of visual communications studies has received approval to add a digital media concentration to the AOS and AAS degrees in design and imaging technology starting in fall 2022. This third concentration will allow students to become digital content creators and build a skill set that allows them to be job-ready in a field that is relatively new with high demand. The majority of graphic design now is experienced on screens in the form of digital media, including full-length movies, mobile apps, augmented reality, and social media. This curriculum revision was part of a larger proposal to update and refresh this degree program to address current industry conditions and expectations and to respond to trends in student interest.    

The new digital media concentration includes a number of courses that already are part of the department’s curriculum, incorporating what were once elective-course skills that provided breadth and flexibility for graduates and that have now become required course skills providing increased depth and expertise for entry-level employment. Specifically, graphic design students will be required to complete coursework in animation, videography, principles of design and color, principles of 4D design, and interactive digital media.  

Concurrent with this curriculum modification are changes to the overall structure of the program that will also benefit students in the existing graphic design and graphic production concentrations. The industry has now matured to a point where depth of skill is more desirable than breadth of skill. Students will now take either NAIS-291 production workshop or NAIS-292 portfolio workshop as they near completion of their degree as well as an additional program-specific elective. Separate lists of approved electives have been crafted for each of the three concentrations to provide students with better guidance toward the coursework that will prepare them for their chosen fields.

The ASLIE department has revamped its introductory ASL curriculum that is designed specifically for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Of special note is the conversion of the new signers program, which is offered as an intensive language camp in the summer before new students begin their studies at RIT/NTID, into an opportunity to earn full course credit toward their academic degrees. Starting in summer 2022, the NASL-180 new signers’ program course is worth four semester credit hours and will allow students in AOS and AAS programs to satisfy the ASL/Deaf cultural studies requirement. Students in AAS, AS, BS, and BFA programs will be able to use the course to satisfy the RIT social perspective general education requirement. This year’s new signers program will be a hybrid experience with online sessions from July 18 to Aug. 10 and on-campus sessions from Aug. 4 to 10.  Details about the program are available online.

In fall 2022, the department of performing arts will have several special topics courses with an eye toward development into permanent course offerings. In “dance and the metaverse,” students will focus on creating and telling stories through dance and motion augmentation with digital media, imagery, and audio. Presentations and class projects will incorporate the use of extended reality technologies such as, but not limited to, VR, AR, motion capture, and projection mapping. This course is part of a cross-college collaboration and experience involving faculty and students from dance, computer science, and 3D digital design. In “deaf and hearing theatre,” students will explore the integration of Deaf and hearing theater through historical and present-day examples with emphasis on the introduction of Deaf cultural performance and the history and evolution of traditional theater. Students will experiment with creating new works that serve deaf and hearing actors on stage, backstage, and in the audience.

For the month of April 2022, the NCCC team met with the following companies to establish a relationship or bolster existing ones for student co-ops and hiring after graduation:

• Princeton University
• CompTIA
• M&T Bank
• USBR

The following companies have offered co-ops, internships, or permanent employment to our students and alumni in April 2022:

• PNC
• City of Leawood, Kansas
• Black and Veatch
• CHESS Health
• Lockheed Martin
• Microsoft
• DFAS
• US NRL
• Tufts University
• Boston Deaf Apostolate
• Dominion Energy
• Nevada National Security Site

The NCCC team has facilitated employer recruitment workshops, information sessions, and a variety of other efforts to improve employer-student relationships at RIT/NTID:

• NCCC hosted an Ice Cream Social event with 182 deaf and hard-of-hearing students attending. NCCC collected information from at least 47 students about co-ops, internships, and permanent employment.
• Presented “Creating a Culture of Inclusion for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Employees” to 53 participants from Princeton University.
• Launched Training Resources and Career Coaching for the Deaf (TRACCD). As part of the funding from COVID relief, this program is designed to provide resources and career coaching to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
• Presented “Working Together: Deaf and Hearing People” to seven individuals from CompTIA.
• Attended SHRM Talent Management Conference and Exposition. 

What is the best part of your work?

Being able to provide students with the best education possible. Giving students the knowledge and skills they will need prior to getting a co-op or permanent job. The most exciting thing about working at NTID is watching students grow into employable individuals, then having them come back and share their work experiences. I enjoy those success stories! Even when students are employed, they still contact me from time to time to get feedback on how they can solve a design problem they are facing. It shows that if faculty have a good rapport with students and are well respected, students always will come back for guidance.

What would surprise people to learn about you?

People say I have a great sense of humor, but when it comes to “work mode,” I’m committed, because I know I’ll get the job done! What I do here is all for the students, giving back my expertise to help them build confidence in what they do academically.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I like to self-train and learn new things outside of my comfort zone. I spend as much time with family and friends as possible, because life is too short! I enjoy watching NFL and NBA games, attending my kids’ sporting events, and firing up the grill to cook a mean steak! In addition, I am dedicated to teaching my kids life skills, such as showing them how to use hand tools and making simple repairs. My goal is to give my kids everything they need to be successful in life!

What is the best part of your work?

The best part of my job is getting to work with a variety of people (and students!) who care about health justice and equity as much as I do. I never know what opportunity is around the corner, and I’m grateful for every moment of it.

What would surprise people to learn about you?

I’ve always found Latin beautiful, so this year I am finally learning Latin! I should have learned it before medical school, now that I see how many medical terms have Latin roots. I hope to be able to read the Harry Potter series in Latin by the end of the year!

What do you do in your free time?

I enjoy being on or near the water and reading a good book! This summer, I hope to spend more time on boats, kayaks, or reading on the beach. I may even be reading Latin literature under the sun!

What is the best part of your major?

The best part of my major in graphic design is looking forward to building my own business and my future career. I’ve learned so many programs such as Adobe, PhotoShop, InDesign and more. I like that I can bring ideas to life through creativity and good use of visual elements and colors.

What would surprise people to learn about you?

People would be surprised I'm hard of hearing. I'm also fully Jamaican from both of my parents, but I was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. My personality is friendly, fun, and very outgoing. I’m a busy person who thinks about my future goals. People see me as mature, fun, understanding, able to give good advice, and caring toward others.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

In my free time, I like to watch movies, watch Netflix, go shopping, and I love to explore new things. I really enjoy parties, cooking, drawing, playing basketball, and lots more!