RIT/NTID students graduate with accolades

Several students at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf were honored with academic achievement awards ahead of the university’s virtual commencement ceremony on May 8.

“This year, it’s more important than ever to celebrate our graduates, who have completed their degrees under extraordinary conditions,” said Gerry Buckley, NTID president and RIT vice president and dean.

The graduates who received awards are:

• Truc Nguyen, an applied liberal arts major from Vietnam and the 2020 undergraduate delegate for NTID, received the Academic Achievement Award for students earning an associate degree.
• Jennifer Sebell, an applied liberal arts major from Lexington, Mass., received the Academic Achievement Award for students earning a bachelor’s degree.
• Jillian Schleicher, a Master of Science in health care interpretation major from Sedona, Ariz., received an Academic Achievement Award for students earning a master’s degree.
• Emily Sidansky, a Master of Science in Secondary Education major from Thousand Oaks, Calif., received an Academic Achievement Award for students earning a master’s degree.
• Maryana Elyse Cato, a business technology major from Middle Village, N.Y., and Amanda Bui, a mobile application development major from Freemont, Calif., received the Outstanding Graduate Award for students earning associate degrees.
• Roshan Mathew, a human-centered computing major from India, received the Outstanding Graduate Award for students earning a bachelor’s degree.
• Jessica Rae Wertz, a Master of Science in Secondary Education major from Woodbury, Pa., received the Outstanding Graduate Award for students earning a master’s degree.
• Ellie Blake, an ASL-English interpretation major from Sun Prairie, Wis., received the Outstanding Graduate Award for interpreting students earning a bachelor’s degree.