Rochester Institute of Technology

The Next Step

We meet again; if it’s our 1st meeting, we hope it’s the start of a wonderful relationship. Welcome to our 2nd instalment in our 3-part mini-series on educational institutes for deaf people.

Last time we spoke about schools, this time we’ll be talking about colleges and in the final instalment, we’ll be talking about….. Well, I won’t spoil it; you’ll have to come back and find out!

So in the previous post, we discussed the challenges that face deaf children when they’re at school. Well, we’ve progressed through the “nurturing” stage; next, it’s time to let them loose. If you love something you have to set it free, and there’s no better college to set your deaf child upon than the one we’ll discuss today!

Student life’s trials and tribulations are greatly enhanced as we progress through school and education. Adding onto the pressure by being deaf or hard of hearing and the greater variety of accents, slang, cultures etc., can certainly be a challenge.


Rochester Institute of Technology

When you want to talk about colleges for deaf children, we have one glowing example. Introducing Rochester Institute of Technology/ The National Technical Institute for the Deaf:

  • The college is located in New York and offers great exposure to a vast variety of ethnic and cultural backgrounds. The variety of backgrounds and perspectives represented in the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) community enriches the learning experience for all.
  • Students will interact on team-based projects, residence halls, and day-to-day activities. The college offers enriched and better-prepared opportunities and challenges to tackle global interdependence best.
  • The college is the only technical college available to deaf students. RIT is an internationally recognized leader in preparing Deaf and hard-of-hearing students for successful careers in professional and technical fields.
  • Providing unparalleled access and support services for the more than 1,200 deaf and hard-of-hearing students who live, study, and work with hearing students on the RIT campus.

RIT is a great starting point to get into the students’ chosen industry.

Offering career-focused programs that reflect the needs of today’s employers, work experience gained through the university’s cooperative education program, faculty who specialize in educating deaf and hard-of-hearing students, outstanding graduation and job placement rates, and unparalleled access and support services all set RIT/NTID apart.

RIT offers the most accessible higher education community in the world for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Faculty tutors, advisors, captions, FM systems and the largest staff of sign language interpreters of any college program in the world are available to help you succeed at RIT.


Values

The college’s values are as follows:

  •       Student-Centeredness: Exhibits behaviour, performs duties of the position, and/or makes decisions that demonstrate and/or support the importance of students as the primary constituency of the university and/or contribute directly to student success.
  •       Professional Development and Scholarship: Takes actions to advance continuously and/or improve in one’s academic or professional discipline, as an individual contributor, team member, and/or organizational leader.
  •       Integrity and Ethics: Does what it takes to deliver on commitments made to the department, college, or division and to constituency groups. Builds personal trust and relationships inside and outside the university by doing what one says he or she will do when it is promised.
  •       Respect, Diversity and Pluralism: Provides a high level of service to fellow members of the RIT community. Treat every person with dignity. Demonstrates inclusion by incorporating diverse perspectives to plan, conduct, and/or evaluate the work of the organization, department, college, or division.
  •       Innovation and Flexibility: Provides and/or encourages new ideas that could make the department, college, or division an even better organization. Open to and adapts well to change.
  •       Teamwork and Collaboration: Contributes to the efforts of the department, division, or college as a team player. Works well with others outside the department to accomplish cross-college or division goals and objectives.


RIT is working on creating the perfect blend of hearing and Deaf students and, instead of simply working alongside one another, promoting that diversity will excel all students in their work and lives.

Studying at RIT/NTID will give deaf students just the right mix of support and freedom to help propel them to where they want to be. There really is no other place to get this sort of opportunity.


Student Life

RIT not only pride itself on its courses and facilities that positively promote Deaf culture, but they also work hard 24/7 to bring the students the best non-academic activities they can. Offering more than 200 student clubs and organizations, there is an incredible array of options for students.

Hearing and Deaf students are fully encouraged to interact with one another, and there are no boundaries at RIT. Offering differing sports in the various seasons, RIT is the place for whatever your ambition.

All the facilities and technology are in place to give students the best opportunities and help in aiding the Deaf, such as:

  • Dozens of smart classrooms with state-of-the-art computers and multimedia-based technologies
  • Microcomputer labs
  • Computer graphics and computer-aided drafting labs
  • Microelectronics and computer engineering facilities
  • Digital printing presses
  • A laser optics lab
  •  Robotics program  Fully networked residence halls equipped with strobe lights

RIT/NTID also offers many student services, such as:

  • Access & Support Services
  • Communication Studies and Services
  • Counselling Services
  • RIT Student Employment Office

NTID counsellors provide personal, social, career and academic counselling services to all deaf and hard-of-hearing students at RIT. Every RIT/NTID student has a counsellor assigned to work with them.

NTID counsellors:

  • Work with students on a variety of issues, such as relationship concerns, leaving home, family issues,  adjustment to college life, choice of major, and career exploration.
  •  Provide career assessment.
  •  Guest lecture in Freshmen Seminar classes and provide various workshops.
  •   Provide referral recommendations for academic and learning needs, physical and mental health concerns, and financial issues.

There is a real togetherness about RIT, and it really is a great opportunity for any Deaf student looking to propel into the next stage of their education. Offering access to information in sign language on multiple pages of their site, NTID really gives you all you need to know and makes you feel comfortable in your decision as a member of the Deaf community.

We hope you have enjoyed the 2nd part of our 3-part mini-series, and we look forward to your company in the final instalment, coming next week.