Susan and Sean Flanagan became affiliated with RIT/NTID in 2011 as parents. Their son, Sean “Skip” Flanagan, is a 2016 RIT graduate who serves as the NTID athlete development program coordinator and is also a doctoral candidate at the University of Western States, with expected completion in spring 2025.

Susan served as an NTID regional representative for New England from 2017 to 2023. In this role, she worked to raise awareness of RIT/NTID in the region and represented the needs and interests of students and families. She introduced Deaf Awareness Night at the WooSox, the Red Sox Triple-A team, which is now in its sixth year. Additionally, she assisted with various events, including parent forums and regional camps. Her education and professional experience are in higher education administration.

Together with her husband, Susan founded The Friendship Cup Golf Benefit for Deaf Children, which ran for 24 years and raised over $1.7 million for NTID and deaf programs throughout New England. They have proudly established two RIT/NTID scholarships: The Friendship Cup Scholarship and The William “Dummy” Hoy/Old Time Baseball Scholarship, and they continue to seek ways to support NTID's efforts to secure financial resources for students and the college.

The Flanagans have hosted dinners with community leaders to raise awareness of RIT/NTID's initiatives, developed co-op experiences, and provided ongoing education and awareness across various networks about the specific needs of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities regarding employment, accessibility, and education.

“We have proudly served on the RIT/NTID Foundation Board since 2012. As parents, we have personally witnessed RIT/NTID’s outstanding dedication and commitment to the education and development of deaf and hard-of-hearing students globally. We have seen NTID students evolve as outstanding leaders, mentors, and representatives of the deaf and hard-of-hearing communities in endless industries. Their leadership opens doors, breaks barriers, and offers inspiration to future generations that all things are possible.”