Hi5—September 13, 2019

Each week’s Hi5 contains five newsworthy highlights from the desk of President Cordano. Open this email to check out all the new buzzworthy content! This week’s signer is Felicia Williams, ’12 & G-’13, a faculty member in the Department of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies.

September 18: Changing the Game! 

Changing the Game is the theme of President Cordano’s Welcome Home address on Wednesday, September 18. There will be an employee appreciation Bison Grand Slam pancake breakfast from 7 to 10:30 a.m. at various locations on campus. President Cordano’s presentation will be from noon to 1 p.m. in Elstad Auditorium, and will be streamed via Facebook Live. During the Bison Cafe beginning at 1 p.m. in the JSAC Sprint Multipurpose Room, you will have the opportunity to provide input about our proposed ten-year vision, both in-person and online. We will also raffle off limited edition Bison gear! For more information, watch your email, our social media platforms, and campus signage. 

The Scavenger Hunt began on Wednesday, and the response has been amazing! There may still be a few baseballs around campus. Feel absolutely free to find a ball, take a selfie, and put the ball back for others to find! #HomeRunGU

Good news on the retention front

We have very good news about student retention. According to Gallaudet’s Office of Institutional Research (OIR), our fall-to-fall retention rate for first-time, full-time freshmen from Fall 2018 to Fall 2019 is 75 percent. This means that three-fourths of last year’s first-time freshmen students are still here. This retention rate is the second highest in the last five years, and the third highest in the last ten years. 

Again, this is wonderful news -- but we must continue our student success efforts and make sure that all our students have a sense of belonging and want to call Gallaudet home. This way, they will  continue to come back, make progress in their studies, and graduate. Thank you to everyone who contributed to our retention efforts!

Passing of disability advocate Marca Bristo

With a heavy heart, President Cordano shares with you that Marca Bristo, a long-time advocate for people with disabilities, passed away on September 8. President Cordano said, “Marca was an important mentor and leader for me and many other people in the disability movement. We attended the same undergraduate school, Beloit College in Wisconsin, at different times. That is where I met her. Marca opened opportunities for me to learn from important leaders in our movement at Wingspread at a series of disability-related conferences, and as an intern at Access Living, the nonprofit organization in Chicago that she founded. Working with her and other colleagues at Access Living was a life-changing experience. I had the honor of receiving Access Living’s “Lead On” award at their annual gala last year in Chicago, and was able to pay homage to Marca. I send my condolences, and those of the entire Gallaudet community, to Marca’s husband Robert, her two children, and her granddaughter.”

Marca Bristo also founded and led the National Council on Independent Living. Her influence was felt nationwide; she was one of the key players in the drafting and passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990. She chaired the National Council on Disability from 1993 to 2002, and was president of the United States International Council on Disabilities. You can read more about Marca and her life in this Washington Post obituary.

Seeking an Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations 

Gallaudet University invites applications for Executive Director of Development and Alumni Relations. The person in this position will report directly to the President, serve as the university’s Chief Development Officer, and carry out the mission of the Office of Development and the Office of Alumni Relations. For detailed information about this position, or to apply, please visit the Human Resources website. 

Institutional Advancement consists of the Office of Development and the Office of Alumni Relations. During the leadership transition, this team is supported by Heather Harker, chief of staff in the Office of the President. Questions related to Development should be addressed to Ms. Harker. Questions related to Alumni Relations should go to Sam Sonnenstrahl, ’79 & G-’84.

Upcoming events 

Mark your calendar now for several exciting events! 

• Deafopia will be held tomorrow, September 14, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Field House, with entertainment the same evening at Elstad Auditorium. See www.deafopia.com for more information.

• Gallaudet will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. This year, events are being held by the Division of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI); the Latino Deaf Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Area (LDHH) and the Latinx Student Union (LSU). There will be a family-friendly kickoff event on Sunday, September 15. See https://www.facebook.com/ldhhamdc/videos/1446242928851741/ for details.
  
  EDI is sending a campus-wide communication with more information about National Hispanic Heritage Month events. Watch for it!

• The Congressional Basketball Game on Tuesday, September 17 will be at the Field House, and the Congressional Football Game on Tuesday, September 24 will be at Hotchkiss Field.

• The annual H Street Festival will be held on Saturday, September 21 from 12 to 7 p.m. on H Street between Third and 14th Streets, Northeast. 

• Monday, September 23, is the International Day of Sign Languages. From September 23 to September 27, we will mark the International Week of the Deaf. For more information, see http://wfdeaf.org/iwdeaf2019/.

Enjoy your weekend!