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 Lauren Berger, a Ph.D. candidate in the Program in Educational Neuroscience. 

We want to acknowledge and thank PhenomWorks LLC for producing Hi5 video content week after week. University Communications is proud to support the signing ecosystem!

Changing the Game! 

President Cordano unveiled The Gallaudet Promise: Excellence in Learning and Discovery on Wednesday in Elstad Auditorium. This ten-year vision for the university, from 2020 to 2030, contains five Grand Challenges, three Priorities, and three Imperatives. The day’s events included a staff appreciation breakfast and afternoon discussion groups. We look forward to an exciting, vibrant future for the University! #HomeRunGU

International Day of Sign Languages and International Week of the Deaf

The week of September 23-27 is very special, as Gallaudet will mark the International Day of Sign Languages (IDSL) and the International Week of the Deaf (IWD). These events are part of a worldwide celebration of Deaf people, their culture, their language, and their achievements, under the auspices of the World Federation of the Deaf. The theme of this year’s observance is “Sign Language Rights for All!” At Gallaudet, the Office of the President, the Department of American Sign Language and Deaf Studies, and ASL Connect will host events throughout the week. The schedule is available at my.gallaudet.edu. Please join us!

Natalie Sinicrope becomes general counsel

Natalie T. Sinicrope has been named general counsel for the university, after having served as interim general counsel since October 2018. In this role, she will handle a variety of issues, including litigation, labor and employment, compliance, administrative, real estate, contract, privacy, academic research, accreditation, intellectual property, and tax. She will also support the university’s mission and its commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusive excellence; and advise the President, the Executive Team, and senior leadership on a wide range of legal and strategic matters.

Prior to joining Gallaudet, Ms. Sinicrope was a senior associate at Hogan Lovells, and before that an investigator in the Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section, at the United States Department of Justice. She is a graduate of American University and Georgetown University Law Center.

Information Technology Summit

Gallaudet’s second annual Information Technology Summit was held on September 13. This event was sponsored by the Career Center, PNC Bank, Procter & Gamble Company, Ernst & Young, General Dynamics Information Technology, and Microsoft Corporation. It connected over 60 information technology (IT) and business majors with over 25 employers who want to hire students with disabilities, and specifically deaf and hard of hearing students. Students learned about emerging trends in information technology, including cybersecurity, web, and program development. The day included panel discussions and networking. 

Upcoming events 

Mark your calendar now for several exciting events! 

• Gallaudet’s celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month began on September 15 and continues through October 15. Watch for event announcements from the Division of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. Also, the Latino Deaf and Hard of Hearing Association of the Metropolitan D.C. Area (LDHH), and the Latinx Student Union (LSU) will hold several collaborative events throughout the month. See their calendar for more information.

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

• The Congressional Football Game will be held on Tuesday, September 24 at 7 p.m. at Hotchkiss Field. General admission is $10; students are admitted free. This biennial event features Members of Congress and former National Football League players against U.S. Capitol Police. For more information, please see https://congressionalfootball.org/.
  
  BONUS INFORMATION (not in the video): The National Football League and USA Football will hold a pre-game NFL Play Football youth clinic on Tuesday, September 24 from 5:45 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. for young people in the area, both deaf and hearing. Students at Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, ages 6 to 14, may participate. The clinic, led by a USA Football master instructor and former NFL players, will be an opportunity to  learn football skills and techniques that promote physical activity and the values associated with the game – all while having fun. Up to 50 KDES students may attend; contact Nanette Virnig, KDES coordinator of after-school programs.

Enjoy your weekend!