Kathryn Schmitz Headshot

Kathryn Schmitz

Department Chair

Department of Liberal Studies
National Technical Institute for the Deaf

585-475-2906
Office Location
60-2255

Kathryn Schmitz

Department Chair

Department of Liberal Studies
National Technical Institute for the Deaf

Education

BA, Duke University; MS, Rochester Institute of Technology; Ph.D., University at Buffalo

Bio

Dr. Schmitz is the chairperson for the Department of Liberal Studies. Her responsibilities include overseeing NTID’s Applied Liberal Arts associate degree and Community Development and Inclusive Leadership bachelor’s degree programs as well as the minor and immersion programs in Deaf Studies and NTID’s developmental English courses.

She began her career at RIT/NTID in public affairs, becoming director of Marketing Communications, and joined the English Department as a faculty member in 2000.

She has published a number of scholarly articles and presented at many national and international conferences, and served as editor for The Volta Review.

A native of Potomac, Maryland, Dr. Schmitz, who is deaf, received her bachelor’s degree in English from Duke University (without any access services), her master’s degree in career and human resource development from RIT, and her doctorate in English education from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

585-475-2906

Personal Links

Select Scholarship

Journal Paper
Berent, Gerald P., et al. "Academic verb knowledge of DHH college students and their hearing peers." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. (2023): 55. Web.
Marschark, Marc, et al. "Social Maturity and Executive Function Among Deaf Learners." Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education. (2016): 1-13. Web.
Journal Editor
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2021. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2020. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2019. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf, 2018. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2017. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2016. Web.
Schmitz, Kathryn L., ed. The Volta Review. Washington, DC: Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf, 2011. Print.
Uninvited Presentations
Schmitz, Kathryn L. "Preparing For Publication in a Peer-Reviewed Journal." Biennial Convention. Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf. Denver, CO. 30 Jun. 2016. Conference Presentation.
Schmitz, Kathryn L. and Elissa Weeden. "Using Web Conferencing Technology to Foster Inclusive Course Experiences for Deaf Students." Postsecondary Training Institute. AHEAD / pepnet2. Indianapolis, IN. 14 Jul. 2016. Poster Session.
Berent, Gerald, Ronald Kelly, and Kathryn Schmitz. "Investigating Deaf College Students Knowledge of English Verb Properties." 2015 NTID Scholarship Symposium. National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Rochester, New York. 28 May 2015. Poster Session.
Kelly, Ronald R., Kathryn L. Schmitz, and Gerald Berent. "Deaf and Hearing Second Language Learner Parallels in the Acquisition of English Verbs Exhibiting Dative, Benefactive, and Locative Alternations." American Association for Applied Linguistics Annual Conference. American Association for Applied Linguistics. Toronto, Canada. 22 Mar. 2015. Conference Presentation.
Schmitz, Kathryn. "Using Web Conferencing Technology to Foster Inclusive Course Experiences for Deaf Students." 16th International ASSETS Conference Reception and Showcase. Association for Computing Machinery. Rochester, NY. 20 Oct. 2014. Poster Session.
Schmitz, Kathryn and Elissa Weeden. "Using Web Conferencing Technology to Foster Inclusive Course Experiences for Deaf Students." Effective Access Technology Conference. Rochester Institute of Technology. Rochester, NY. 17 Jun. 2014. Poster Session.
Published Conference Proceedings
Berent, Gerald, Ronald Kelly, and Kathryn Schmitz. "Deaf Students Acquisition of Diverse Lexical Properties of English Verbs: New Guidance for English Teaching, Learning, and Assessment." Proceedings of the 22nd International Congress on the Education of the Deaf. Ed. Deaf Studies Unit, University of Patras. Athens, Greece: n.p., 2015. Web.
Published Review
Schmitz, Kathryn L. "New Framework for Research Efforts." Rev. of Deaf Students and the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis: Understanding Language and Literacy Development, by Peter V. Paul, Ye Wang, and Cheri Williams. Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education Dec. 2015: 1. Web.
Invited Keynote/Presentation
Schmitz, Kathryn, Gerald Berent, and Ronald Kelly. "Deaf Students? Acquisition of Diverse Lexical Properties of English Verbs: New Guidance for English Teaching, Learning, and Assessment." American Association for Applied Linguistics. American Association for Applied Linguistics. Toronto, Canada. 21 Mar. 2015. Conference Presentation.
Schmitz, Kathryn, Gerald Berent, and Ronald Kelly. "Deaf Students? Acquisition of Diverse Lexical Properties of English Verbs: New Guidance for English Teaching, Learning, and Assessments? Acquisition of Diverse Lexical Properties of English Verbs: New Guidance for English Teaching, Learning, and Assessment." International Congress on Education of the Deaf. International Congress on Education of the Deaf. Athens, Greece. 6 Jul. 2015. Conference Presentation.
Schmitz, Kathryn L. "Preparing For Publication in a Peer-Reviewed Journal." 2011 Conference for American Instructors of the Deaf. Council of American Instructors of the Deaf. Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX. 22 Jun. 2011. Conference Presentation.
Schmitz, Kathryn L. "Panel Discussion of Journal Editors of the Annals of the American Deaf, Journal of Deaf Studies and Deaf Education, and The Volta Review." 2011 Annual Meeting. American Educational Research Association. New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. 11 Apr. 2011. Conference Presentation.
Invited Article/Publication
Weeden, Elissa and Kathryn Schmitz. "Using Web Conferencing Technology to Foster Inclusive Course Experiences for Deaf Students." Volta Voices. (2014). Web.
Formal Presentation
Schmidt, Kathryn. “Preparing for Publication in a Peer-Reviewed Journal.” AG Bell Biennial Convention 2010: Alexander Graham Bell Association of the Deaf. Orlando, FL. June 2010. Plenary Session.
Aldersley, Stephen, K. Schmitz, E. Lylak, and K. Varone. “Structure, Intensity, and HighExpectations: An answer for post-secondary students’ struggles with English literacy.” 2010 International Congress on Education of the Deaf conference. July 2010. Presentation.

Currently Teaching

LEAD-500
0 Credits
The experiential learning (EL) requirement may be fulfilled through a variety of methods, such as co-op, undergraduate research, summer research experiences, study abroad relevant to the major, or another activity approved by the experiential learning coordinator.
NENG-112
3 Credits
This is the first course in a two-course developmental English language sequence at the second level offered at NTID in which students work on reading and writing skills necessary for AOS programs at NTID. General topics in science and humanities provide the context in which students review the basic constituents of English sentences, begin to develop skills for comprehending and using complex sentence elements, increase their English content word vocabulary to about 5000 words, learn to use independent reading strategies, and develop skills for writing paragraphs and longer compositions. Upon successful completion of this course, students will continue their reading and writing skill development in Intermediate Reading & Writing II (NENG-113).
UWRT-150
3 Credits
Writing Seminar is a three-credit course limited to 19 students per section. The course is designed to develop first-year students’ proficiency in analytical and rhetorical reading and writing, and critical thinking. Students will read, understand, and interpret a variety of non-fiction texts representing different cultural perspectives and/or academic disciplines. These texts are designed to challenge students intellectually and to stimulate their writing for a variety of contexts and purposes. Through inquiry-based assignment sequences, students will develop academic research and literacy practices that will be further strengthened throughout their academic careers. Particular attention will be given to the writing process, including an emphasis on teacher-student conferencing, critical self-assessment, class discussion, peer review, formal and informal writing, research, and revision. Small class size promotes frequent student-instructor and student-student interaction. The course also emphasizes the principles of intellectual property and academic integrity for both current academic and future professional writing.