From the NTID President's Office - May 2023 | National Technical Institute for the Deaf

May 2023

Here we are, at the end of another academic year. Although it might seem routine, every commencement is special, and 2023 is no exception. This year, three NTID-supported students make history by being the first deaf Ph.D. graduates from RIT. To be able to claim graduates at the associate, bachelor’s, master’s, and now doctoral levels is an incredible accomplishment, and is due in no small part to your hard work and dedication to our students. While we are all celebrating our students, I’ll also be celebrating you!

Gerry

Convocation and commencement

A reminder of events for this year’s Academic convocation and NTID commencement ceremony:

Friday, May 12

Academic convocation 10 a.m. – noon in Gordon Field House – graduates line up at 9 a.m.
Doctoral hooding ceremony 1:30 – 2:30 p.m. in Gene Polisseni Center – graduates line up at 1 p.m.

Saturday, May 13

NTID commencement reception 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Dyer Arts Center
NTID commencement ceremony 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. – graduates line up at 4:30 p.m.

All events will be streamed live on the Commencement website.

Student research news

Submitted by Todd Pagano and Dawn Sullivan

Funding through NTID’s Professional and Student Scholar Development Office has supported the following student research:

From the MSSE Program, Emma Balderas and Kevin Brady were awarded a Student Research Travel Grant and presented “Navigating Through Grad School Together” at the Association of College Educators—Deaf and Hard of Hearing Conference.
Roshan Mathew was awarded a grant to present “An Augmented Reality-Based Approach for Optimization of Language” at the Human-Computer Interaction International 2023 conference.
The following students are recipients of Student Research Microgrants:
- Jacob Fontaine, information and computing studies, “Oxygen Sensors Using Smart Watches in the Healthcare Industry”
- Sreya Antonia Gomes, biochemistry, “Reflectance Spectroscopy of Museum Artifacts”
- Shadirah Griggs, information and computing studies, “Deaf Athlete Technique and Biometric Recording”
- Zhavia Lovell, community development and inclusive leadership, “Does Access to Face Cues Improve ASL Comprehension?”
- James Macisco, chemistry, “Reflectance Spectroscopy of Natural Products”
- Yousef Sawaqed, information and computing studies, “DHH Equal Access LifeGuard EAP for RIT”
- Lilly Travers, biology, “Molecular Sex Determination in Birds Using Feather DNA”

For more information about all of the NTID-supported student research funding opportunities and resources, visit NTID Student Research.

NCCC updates

Submitted by John Macko

Seven representatives from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency came to campus March 20 to give a brief presentation and thank Shyrl Scalice and NCCC for our continued partnership. The reps also met with students to discuss their work at the EPA, the work culture, the perspective of a neurodiverse employee, and more. Great job by Miranda Harms and Amy Stornello for organizing this special day.
NCCC hosted a successful Alumni Roundtable Discussion March 22 for 40 engineering, science, and liberal arts students. The students met with three alumni to gain a better understanding of building a rewarding career. Pam Christopher and Amy Stornello did a fantastic job coordinating and moderating the event. The alumni panel included:
- Blake Trauger, ’06, ’08 - business team leader at Mack Trucks, who earned his BS in mechanical engineering technology and AAS in mechanical technology
- Cassie Burton ’16 - environmental chemist at Eurofins, who received her AAS in laboratory science technology
- Joanne Karayiannidis ’02 - district director at U.S. Department of Labor, who earned her BS in psychology
Sodiq Alaraba is graduating this month with a BS degree in civil engineering technology and has accepted a full-time job offer from LaBella Associates for a civil technician position starting June 5, 2023. He received his AAS degree in architectural and civil drafting technology in 2020.
Class of 2022 employment updates:
- Noah Fox, BS in business administration, is working in a full-time, remote position as a request for proposal response writer at Kodak Alaris.
- Joshua Olosky, BS in management information systems, is employed by Google as a technical program manager.
- Edie Wilson, MS in global supply chain management and BS in supply chain management in 2021, is a business analyst at Ortho Clinical Diagnostic.
- Feeza Jafar, BS in applied arts and sciences and AAS in laboratory science technology in 2020, was recently hired by Dow to work in the Analytical Sciences department.
Co-op assignments:
- Andy Cheng, BS in human-centered computing, secured a co-op from Fidelity for summer 2023.
- Izzy Pedrizco-Carranz, AAS in mobile application development, accepted a summer co-op at Princeton University's Office of Information Technology.
- Tierra Smith, business technology, has been offered a fall co-op with the NTID Learning Center.
- Simaniah McClary and Omowunmi Ayangbayi, business administration, both accepted co-ops with NTID’s Summer Transition Program.
- Manikantan Lakshmanan Eakiri, AAS in applied computer technology, will do a summer co-op with NTID’s’ Center on Access Technology.
- Brittany Morris, BS in computing security, accepted a co-op with MITRE.
- Joline Durand, AAS in design and imaging technology, has been offered a crew member/social media/graphic designer position by CorpsTHAT.
- Margaret (Maggie) Gray, a data science MS student, has accepted a remote summer internship with Excellus BCBS.
Events:
- Sophie Powell, Miranda Harms, and John Macko exhibited and attended the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Talent conference in Orlando, Florida.
- Miranda Harms and Amy Stornello presented the Working Together: Deaf and Hearing People workshop to employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot in Pennsylvania.

Personnel

Congratulations to our colleagues who have changed positions within the college, and welcome to our new co-workers:

Transfers
- Barbara Gasbarre, senior staff assistant, Department of Information and Computing Studies/DeafTEC
- Jenna Stein, special assistant for interpretation and special projects, Office of the President
- Amanda Wehrman, interpreting coordinator, Interpreting Team for SCB and GCCIS
New Hires
- Jay Vollmer, senior staff assistant, Office of External Affairs
- Konnie Steele, enrollment systems application administrator, Enrollment Management

Three questions with Neriyah McPherson, a community development and inclusive leadership major from Elmira, New York

What is the best part about your major?

The best part of my major is learning about intersectionality and how to use my leadership skills.

What is something that would surprise people to know about you?

I went to Italy for a Travel Abroad Program when I was in my junior year of high school. It was a good experience for me because I learned about Italian culture, food, and country. I met several deaf people in Italy and learned about Italian sign language, which is different from ASL.

What do you like to do in your free time?

I spend my free time studying, catching up on my assignments, hiking, watching TV or movies, hanging out with my friends and family, and venturing to different places in Rochester.

Neriyah McPherson posing in a chair in the SDC

Three questions with Ann Hager, retiring interim assistant dean for cross-registered academic services

What has been the best part of your job?

I knew I wanted to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students since I was in fourth grade and read a book about Helen Keller and her teacher Ann Sullivan, so working at NTID has been a dream-come-true for me. I have worked as a faculty tutor on the Business Support Team in the Saunders College of Business for my entire career, and supporting the success of our cross-registered students has been my greatest joy. As a tutor, I have been able to build very strong relationships with my students as we work through complex coursework and navigate the challenges of being a mainstreamed student at RIT. There is no better experience than having one of my students show up at my door to tell me they passed their exam or did really well on a project/presentation! That is the reward for the extra hours our cross-registered students put in to be successful.

What would surprise people to know about you?

I think people would be surprised to know that I have a summer gardening business with my best friend from college! We have helped family and friends with their perennial gardens over the years and started our business five years ago with the idea that it would be something fun to do with our time when we were retired! It’s been fun, and I’m looking forward to bringing the joy of a beautiful garden to lots of people this summer and fall.

What are you most looking forward to when you retire?

I am looking forward to spending time traveling with my husband (first trip is Italy) and being able to visit my sons whenever I want in Boston and New Jersey.

Kudos

Wishing a fond farewell and great thanks to the following retirees:
- Cynthia Barrett
- Stephanie Carlino
- Eileen Contestabile
- Wendy DiMatteo
- Maureen Gallagher
- Doris Gross
- Ann Hager
- Patricia Kenney
- William Lavigne
- Kenneth Lerner
- Julie Lindsay
- Virginia Lindsay
- Sydney Long
- Sharon Lott
- Keith “Moose” Mouseley
- Darcy O’Dell
- Rico Peterson
- Meredith Ray
- Sidonie Roepke
- Susan Roethel
- Thomas Simpson
Rain Bosworth and Janine Butler have earned tenure and promotion.
Thomastine “Tommie” Sarchet recently was honored as a new member of the PI Millionaires group.
Laural Hartman and Eric Kunsman have been selected to participate in Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery Finger Lakes Biennial Exhibition, happening April – Aug. Out of 801 entries, only 112 were accepted.
Thank you to Don Feigel for his care, professionalism, and respect in producing an important video of 95-year old Ruth Stern, a Holocaust survivor, for the U.S. Holocaust Memorial and Museum in Washington, D.C. It was an honor to have Mrs. Stern with us to record this important historical reflection.
Congratulations to newly elected NTID Senator Neriyah McPherson and cross-registered Senator Katelyn Moran-Perlman.
Congratulations to ASLIE’s Danny Maffia, Office of External Affairs' Brian Haak and everyone involved in a successful partnership event with the Rochester Museum and Science Center’s Deaf Night at the RMSC.
The following members of the NTID community have earned the Cultural Humility Certificate through RIT’s Division of Diversity and Inclusion:
- Penny Arndt, associate interpreter
- Elizabeth Butcher, interpreter
- Joanne Dollhopf, coordinator of student life programming
- Lee Klein, captionist I
- Lisa Menard, interpreter
- Izaac Ochoa, associate interpreter
- Lorrie Poole-Clement, lab technician
- Naomi Ruetz, captioning team specialists II
- Katherine Varga, captionist II
- Kat Womack, RIT-RISE and Health Commission Program interpreter
Big hands waving to everyone involved in the Big Read: NTID, especially Jill Bradbury, Fran Flaherty, Joan Naturale, and Joseph Fox.
Sunshine 2.0’s rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” video is a finalist for recognition by REEL Poetry 2023 in Houston, Texas.
Luane Davis Haggerty and “Dangerous Signs” received the Essie Calhoun award from Geva Theater Center.
Brittany Taylor, interpreting manager for College of Science and College of Health Sciences and Technology, received the Staff Excellence Award from RIT Staff Council.
Congratulations to the cast and crew of the play “Deaf Republic,” directed by alumnus Malik Paris.
Kudos to the following NTID staff who served as Key Captains in RIT’s United Way Campaign (apologies for any omissions) as well as Sydney Long for throwing an amazing NTID Silent Auction benefiting United Way:
- Jennifer Barrera
- Kari Campos-Hamilton
- Jennifer Cornwell
- Nicole Crouse-Dickerson
- Heather Eaggleston
- Joseph Fox
- Doris Gross
- Christopher Guercio
- Anne Hoock
- Ellen Johnson
- Sydney Long
- Melisa Loysen
- Nancy Marrer
- Allyson Martel
- Maggie Otis
- Franklin Polvino
- Collin Porterfield
- Amy Rios-Richardson
- Jillian Sinclair
- Brittany Sperry
- Krystal Starks
- Nancy Starr
- Toni Van Aernum
- Katie Zuris

In the news

Passings

Paul Henry Griswold, SVP ’79, ’84 NTID (electromechanical technology), passed away Jan. 21, 2023. A memorial service is planned for May 20.
Jane Ratcliffe Pulver, trustee emeritus and former member of NTID’s National Advisory Group and Foundation Board, passed away March 31, 2023.
Gregory James Pawlikowski passed away April 3, 2023. He was an alumnus of RIT/NTID.
Ruth Jackson, SVP ’84, ’88 NTID business occupations, passed away April 4, 2023.
Susan Foster, former director of NTID’s Research Center on Teaching and Learning, passed away, April 27, 2023, in Sarasota, Florida. An informal memorial open house will take place from noon-3 p.m. Sunday, May 21, at her former home, 22 2nd St. Scottsville, New York 14546 (entrance on Church St.).