RIT pays its respects to Congresswoman Slaughter

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A. Sue Weisler

Services for Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, who died last Friday at age 88, are set for 11 a.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre.

RIT President David Munson, Vice President Deborah Stendardi, Associate Provost Nabil Nasr and Associate Vice President for NTID Bernard Hurwitz will be among those representing the university at tomorrow’s funeral for U.S. Rep. Louise Slaughter.

Services for Congresswoman Slaughter, who died last Friday at age 88, are set for 11 a.m. at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre. The public is invited to the services and to calling hours set for 4 to 8 p.m. this evening at Miller Funeral and Cremation Services, 3325 S. Winton Road, Henrietta.

The RIT flags have been lowered all week in memory of Congresswoman Slaughter, who during her 31 years in Congress was a tireless advocate for RIT and higher education. Munson called the congresswoman “a champion, fighting for what was right, and what was needed. And her energy and passion inspired us to think big, helping spur Rochester to become a national center for photonics, manufacturing, sustainability and other scientific research. We have all lost a wonderful friend.”

Among Congresswoman Slaughter’s many contributions to RIT, she successfully advocated for federal funding to build its Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies and secured a valuable research program there. In her honor, RIT renamed the building Louise Slaughter Hall in 2001. She also worked to secure federal funding for Manufacturing USA projects, including one in photonics and one in sustainable manufacturing. And for several years, RIT’s Center for Media, Arts, Games, Interaction and Creativity (MAGIC) hosted the kick-off event for the Congressional App Challenge, which she sponsored.

In 2010, Congresswoman Slaughter was given the RIT Presidential Medallion in recognition of her many contributions that have made a positive difference in ensuring the health and vitality of RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf over the years and in advancing causes important to deaf and hard-of hearing communities throughout western New York and the nation.