NTID alumnus establishes student workshop series

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Marc Roer

Marc Roer of Chicago, an alumnus of Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, has established a fund to provide a series of workshops that focus on students’ “soft skills” and practical use of today’s technology for career success.

Through the $10,000 commitment, the Roer Family Workshop Series “Genius Labs” will provide programming developed in partnership with RIT/NTID’s Student Life Team and Center on Employment.

“NTID holds a very special place in my heart,” Roer said. “Providing a way for students to develop the soft skills needed in the workplace offered a golden opportunity for me to give back and be able to help others in the same way that NTID helped me. It is my hope that the Roer Family Workshop Series will help provide the same direction NTID gave me and motivate other alumni to contribute to the series as well as to NTID.”

Workshops topics include best practices in PowerPoint and Prezi; study and homework apps for students; how to use social media tools such as Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat; tips for video and Skype interviews, and more.

“These skill-building sessions highlight a number of practical activities, focused primarily on technology, that are designed to advance students’ practical knowledge and application, no matter their level of experience,” said Gerry Buckley, NTID president and RIT vice president and dean. “We are grateful to Marc for his commitment to RIT/NTID’s students, and for giving back to his alma mater in such an innovative and creative way.”

Roer earned an associate degree in electromechanical technology from RIT/NTID in 1981 and is a senior mechanical research technician at John Crane Inc. in Morton Grove, Ill.