NCCC Success Story

Where is your hometown?
I was born in the Philippines and raised in New Mexico

What was your RIT/NTID degree program and graduation date?
Psychology BS, 2023

What was your co-op employer name and location?
The Learning Center for the Deaf in Massachusetts.

What was your position at your co-op and what were the role’s responsibilities?
My position was a residence worker, and I took care of the deaf school children daily. I managed their schedule, daily activities, and developed reports to track their progress.

How did your studies at RIT/NTID prepare you for your co-op?
My studies in psychology, child development, and neuroscience were applicable to my co-op as I worked with deaf children. I saw firsthand how accessibility can provide an enriching space for child development and mental wellness.

What is your preferred language of use: ASL, Spoken English, Both or another language?
American Sign Language

What was your high school experience like? Were you mainstreamed, the only deaf person in the class, or were you enrolled with deaf classmates?
I was mainstreamed in a public school that had a small deaf program. I had a mix of some deaf and hearing friends. My family is hearing. I was enrolled in public classes with hearing classmates and a sign language interpreter.

What was your college search process like, and what made you choose RIT/NTID?
I attended the Explore Your Future summer program and loved it. My teacher at my deaf program was also a RIT alum. I fell in love with the options at RIT/NTID, and I felt like I found my people. I knew I had to enroll for college.

What made RIT a good fit for you?
I felt a deep sense of belonging, community and support at RIT/NTID.

Are there any unique benefits gained at RIT/NTID that you could not find elsewhere?
The RIT/NTID community is amazing and cherished — you couldn’t find that anywhere else. I was always making new connections and new friends. The co-op program and events also were plentiful.

What were your peers like at RIT/NTID?
Most of my peers were deaf people from various backgrounds: RIT/NTID was an enriching tapestry of Deaf community support for me.

Were you involved with any extracurricular activities on campus?
I was involved with NSCA, the NTID Student Life Team, the local Deaf Basketball Association, and was also the director for summer programs in 2022.

What is your career goal?
I am aiming to do some kind of work to improve the Deaf community’s collective access to mental health services.

If possible, what one word would you use to describe your time at RIT/NTID?
Unusual. I started my studies right before the pandemic.