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Gerard Buckley named president of RIT
A Rochester Institute of Technology alum who said his experience there enriched his life, allowing him to grow personally and professionally, is getting ready to take the helm at his alma mater.
Gerard Buckley, a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, will become NTID’s first graduate to serve as its president. Following a year-long search, which included 18 applicants, RIT President Bill Destler has announced that Buckley, 54, of Macedon, will serve as president of NTID and vice president and dean of RIT beginning Jan. 1.
“I’m excited to take on this new challenge in my career, and I’m appreciative of Dr. Destler’s confidence and look forward to working with colleagues at RIT to advance the work of NTID,” said Buckley. “I have responded to literally hundreds of e-mails, calls and notes of congratulations from around the world — many from NTID alumni. That reminds me of the national and global impact RIT and NTID and its students continue to make. I am honored to be part of that.”
The RIT community is likewise honored to have Buckley be part of the institute’s future, said Destler.
“Gerry’s combination of experiences in higher education, combined with his intimate knowledge of NTID and RIT through the variety of appointments he has had, position him well for the challenges ahead,” he said in a statement to the RIT community. “He has built a good rapport with all constituencies, including students, staff, faculty, alumni and government officials. This combination of experiences, skills and commitment prepare him well to serve as a spokesperson and advocate for NTID and deaf education throughout the United States and the world.”
A native of St. Louis, Mo., Buckley, who is deaf, came to RIT and NTID in 1974 and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in social work from RIT’s College of Liberal Arts.
“I learned a great deal about working with individuals, teams and multi-cultural communities while at RIT, and these experiences have served me well in my career,” said Buckley. “Because deaf students are a part of the fabric of RIT, what I learned on the campus was how to successfully negotiate barriers that arise for all human beings through the use of access services.”
Buckley holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri in Columbia and a doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including more than 20 at NTID as chairman of the Department of Educational Outreach, associate dean for student services and currently assistant vice president for college advancement.
“I saw NTID as place where I could both contribute and grow professionally,” said Buckley. “I have had the opportunity to serve RIT/NTID in a series of progressively responsible positions and have never stopped learning and growing. ... The RIT/NTID experience has deeply enriched my life, and I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff and alums to be sure that we continue to offer an enriching experience for our students and others in our community.”
Buckley said he is already meeting with directors and department chairs to discuss the challenges that lie ahead. One of his goals is to create more opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
“Implementation of Strategic Decisions 2020, our roadmap for the future, remains a priority as well,” said Buckley. “As the NTID community moves forward with this bold strategic plan, my role will be to keep us focused on the vision and to encourage creative and innovative solutions to the challenges we have identified.”
A Rochester Institute of Technology alum who said his experience there enriched his life, allowing him to grow personally and professionally, is getting ready to take the helm at his alma mater.
Gerard Buckley, a graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology and RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, will become NTID’s first graduate to serve as its president. Following a year-long search, which included 18 applicants, RIT President Bill Destler has announced that Buckley, 54, of Macedon, will serve as president of NTID and vice president and dean of RIT beginning Jan. 1.
“I’m excited to take on this new challenge in my career, and I’m appreciative of Dr. Destler’s confidence and look forward to working with colleagues at RIT to advance the work of NTID,” said Buckley. “I have responded to literally hundreds of e-mails, calls and notes of congratulations from around the world — many from NTID alumni. That reminds me of the national and global impact RIT and NTID and its students continue to make. I am honored to be part of that.”
The RIT community is likewise honored to have Buckley be part of the institute’s future, said Destler.
“Gerry’s combination of experiences in higher education, combined with his intimate knowledge of NTID and RIT through the variety of appointments he has had, position him well for the challenges ahead,” he said in a statement to the RIT community. “He has built a good rapport with all constituencies, including students, staff, faculty, alumni and government officials. This combination of experiences, skills and commitment prepare him well to serve as a spokesperson and advocate for NTID and deaf education throughout the United States and the world.”
A native of St. Louis, Mo., Buckley, who is deaf, came to RIT and NTID in 1974 and graduated in 1978 with a bachelor’s degree in social work from RIT’s College of Liberal Arts.
“I learned a great deal about working with individuals, teams and multi-cultural communities while at RIT, and these experiences have served me well in my career,” said Buckley. “Because deaf students are a part of the fabric of RIT, what I learned on the campus was how to successfully negotiate barriers that arise for all human beings through the use of access services.”
Buckley holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Missouri in Columbia and a doctorate in special education from the University of Kansas in Lawrence. He has more than 30 years of experience in higher education, including more than 20 at NTID as chairman of the Department of Educational Outreach, associate dean for student services and currently assistant vice president for college advancement.
“I saw NTID as place where I could both contribute and grow professionally,” said Buckley. “I have had the opportunity to serve RIT/NTID in a series of progressively responsible positions and have never stopped learning and growing. ... The RIT/NTID experience has deeply enriched my life, and I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff and alums to be sure that we continue to offer an enriching experience for our students and others in our community.”
Buckley said he is already meeting with directors and department chairs to discuss the challenges that lie ahead. One of his goals is to create more opportunities for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
“Implementation of Strategic Decisions 2020, our roadmap for the future, remains a priority as well,” said Buckley. “As the NTID community moves forward with this bold strategic plan, my role will be to keep us focused on the vision and to encourage creative and innovative solutions to the challenges we have identified.”