What led you to RIT/NTID? Why did you pick RIT/NTID for college?
Honestly, I originally applied to attend a division 1 college for basketball at university, such as Tennessee State, UConn, North Carolina, Georgetown etc... However, my mother pointed out to me that I should to look into applying at a school that offered computer engineering, and that supports the Deaf / Hard of Hearing students. Rochester Institute of Technology was my final pick; I had to decide quickly because they were airing NBA Inside Stuff in 1998, what was spotlighting me. If you would like to watch – you can find it on YouTube by searching, “NBA Inside Stuff Ebony Watson” . I do not regret my decision, everything happens for a reason and my mother wanted the best for me.
What about college were you least prepared for?
I was least prepared for what I was going to be studying; Explore Your Future (EYF) was a program that allowed me (and others) to navigate and test drive various courses and career paths.
I realize how important it is to figure out what you want to do when you first get into college. College allowed me to create my own career blueprint; a game and where do you start when you roll the dice, how many steps, class you take to get to your goal.
I also was not prepared to be alone, without any parental supervision. I had to learn how to make my own rules; being an adult and making adult decisions without my mother around.
Who influenced you most during your time at RIT/NTID?
There was an older African-American woman that worked at NTID; she was one of the few women, who looked like me that earned her PHD. Her name escapes me, but not her face.
She and I would occasionally eat lunch outside, during her breaks. We had these great conversations about life, and goals. Her wisdom helped me navigate college as a black Deaf woman.
The Ebony Club, an NTID organization that supports Black Deaf/Hard of hearing students welcomed me as family. I really got involved with the group, eventually being the group’s vice president, athletic director.
Share your favorite college memory
My favorite college memory is when I first learned how use ASL. African American and Latinx students; students that looked like me, showed such patience and made it fun for me to learn ASL. I was learning ASL at a later age (18) than some of my peers. Two fellow students that I remember - Jessica Tuitt & Leah Taylor were instrumental in my learning. They were the best!
Aside from the Ebony Club and learning ASL, I played a sport that I LOVE – basketball! The road trips really helped build comradery; playing in different regions and states.
What advice do you have for current students who want to make the most out of their RIT/NTID experience?
Have a balance of studies and social/free time (or things that you enjoy). For instance, if you love making money, study finance and combine it with technology to make a finance banking application. If you enjoy drawing buildings, take an architecture and design massively beautiful buildings. You can set your mind to do anything you want to do! The world is your oyster. Have fun doing what you love to do and get paid for it!
What would you like everyone to know about Deaf culture/the Deaf community?
Deaf culture is a unique culture. I would consider our culture “Hidden Figures”. We are super heroes in this world. We have the ability to block out the negativity of the hearing world and focus on the mind, body and soul. We have the ability to impact and change the world, one day at a time. Our language is a beautiful one. In the meantime, we have to continue to educate those who know nothing about the Deaf/Hard of hearing culture.
Fun fact(s) about you.
During the day I work for one of the top Fortune 500 companies as a Technical Specialist / Software Engineering Project Manager; at night I’m a Creative director / Sneaker Designer. Yes, I design sneakers from scratch!
I also act in movies, television shows. Oh yeah, I still play basketball for a league. Age is nothing but a number. Health is wealth!
This story originally appeared on the RIT Alumni Association website.
