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The Troy Messenger
Troy University officials announced today with Gov. Bob Riley a $250,000 grant from the Alabama State Department of Education that will be used to fund an undergraduate Interpreter Training Program.
The program will be aimed at increasing the number of interpreters for the deaf and hearing impaired.
Riley said the program at Troy will set a national standard.
“Alabama has made a commitment to invest in education at all levels because investing in our education system today pays dividends to all Alabamians tomorrow,” he said. “ŠTroy University's Interpreter Training Program will not only address a critical need in our state but will once again provide the nation with an ideal model for higher education.”
Troy University's College of Education Dean Lance Tatum said the new course of study would absolutely meet a need that often goes unattended.
College of Education Dean Lance Tatum said the new program would allow
“This is an important initiative for us,” Tatum said. “There is a critical need in the state for interpreters. This is Troy's opportunity to help citizens of Alabama with a critical need.”
Troy Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. said the new program would be yet another Troy University and its students can serve the residents of Alabama.
“We have become keenly aware that our deaf community is facing a crisis, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help address that crisis,” Hawkins said. “I think this partnership will have a great impact on the quality of life and educational opportunities that our deaf citizens enjoy. Troy (University) is worldwide in nature, but our service begins at home, and that service begins by us addressing on a regular basis the needs that need to be met in order to improve the education and quality of life of all our citizens.”
Before coming to Troy, Hawkins was head of the Alabama Institute for the Blind and Deaf for 10 years. Tatum said the idea for the ITP initially came from Hawkins.
“Well you know, the idea had its genesis from Dr. Hawkins,” Tatum said. “The time that he spent at AIDB as president there he became very attuned to the needs of the deaf community, and through his relationships with the Alabama Association for the Deaf, the AIDB (and others), the need was identified by those stakeholders. He just kept talking about if and kept talking about it. Then during the last legislative session, money was provided to the State Department of Education by the legislature to provide seed money for the program. This will provide a good starting point for us.”
Troy University announced the grant at a news conference in the Rosa Parks Library and Museum Auditorium at the Montgomery Campus. Joe Morton, Alabama Superintendent of Education, and Judith Gilliam of the Alabama Association for the Deaf also participated in the conference.
In addition to training interpreters, the University plans to provide at least one course to high school students through the ACCESS program. This course will be an AP American Sign Language course.
“We plan to reach into the public schools in Alabama early and begin offering sign language to students way before they come to Troy University,” Hawkins said. “When they come to Troy University, we want them prepared, we want them oriented, we want them ready to step into that classroom and make a difference. So Troy University is making a commitment not out of a desire to build a program, it's out of a desire to serve the deaf people of Alabama and the agencies that are charged with serving those important consumers.”
The ITP course of study at Troy will lead to a Bachelor of Science in education with a program in interpreting, according to a press release from the university. The university will match the $250,000 grant and plans to eventually establish a Center on Deafness.
The university will conduct a national search for a program coordinator and for adjunct faculty and will hire highly qualified instructors.
Students who participate in the program are required to possess Intermediate Plus to Advanced sign language skills for admission to the major. They will also be required to participate in observation and field experiences, a community-based internship and a K-12 internship to graduate.
Additionally, they must score a 3.4 on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment.
Tatum said the program will be another tool to draw students to Troy.
“This is a new program for us,” he said. “It's something that will allow us to continue to market ourselves.”
It will give us a different market segment to go after. And these individuals will not be coming out like our normal ed students do.
“These students will not only come out to be interpreters for education settings, but for all areas that need interpreters - hospitals, the court systems, just about anywhere the deaf population is served, you need interpreters there.
“This program doesn't exist anywhere in the state of Alabama right now, so if you want to be an interpreter and you want to get that four year degree, you've got to come to Troy.”
Troy University officials announced today with Gov. Bob Riley a $250,000 grant from the Alabama State Department of Education that will be used to fund an undergraduate Interpreter Training Program.
The program will be aimed at increasing the number of interpreters for the deaf and hearing impaired.
Riley said the program at Troy will set a national standard.
“Alabama has made a commitment to invest in education at all levels because investing in our education system today pays dividends to all Alabamians tomorrow,” he said. “ŠTroy University's Interpreter Training Program will not only address a critical need in our state but will once again provide the nation with an ideal model for higher education.”
Troy University's College of Education Dean Lance Tatum said the new course of study would absolutely meet a need that often goes unattended.
College of Education Dean Lance Tatum said the new program would allow
“This is an important initiative for us,” Tatum said. “There is a critical need in the state for interpreters. This is Troy's opportunity to help citizens of Alabama with a critical need.”
Troy Chancellor Jack Hawkins Jr. said the new program would be yet another Troy University and its students can serve the residents of Alabama.
“We have become keenly aware that our deaf community is facing a crisis, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help address that crisis,” Hawkins said. “I think this partnership will have a great impact on the quality of life and educational opportunities that our deaf citizens enjoy. Troy (University) is worldwide in nature, but our service begins at home, and that service begins by us addressing on a regular basis the needs that need to be met in order to improve the education and quality of life of all our citizens.”
Before coming to Troy, Hawkins was head of the Alabama Institute for the Blind and Deaf for 10 years. Tatum said the idea for the ITP initially came from Hawkins.
“Well you know, the idea had its genesis from Dr. Hawkins,” Tatum said. “The time that he spent at AIDB as president there he became very attuned to the needs of the deaf community, and through his relationships with the Alabama Association for the Deaf, the AIDB (and others), the need was identified by those stakeholders. He just kept talking about if and kept talking about it. Then during the last legislative session, money was provided to the State Department of Education by the legislature to provide seed money for the program. This will provide a good starting point for us.”
Troy University announced the grant at a news conference in the Rosa Parks Library and Museum Auditorium at the Montgomery Campus. Joe Morton, Alabama Superintendent of Education, and Judith Gilliam of the Alabama Association for the Deaf also participated in the conference.
In addition to training interpreters, the University plans to provide at least one course to high school students through the ACCESS program. This course will be an AP American Sign Language course.
“We plan to reach into the public schools in Alabama early and begin offering sign language to students way before they come to Troy University,” Hawkins said. “When they come to Troy University, we want them prepared, we want them oriented, we want them ready to step into that classroom and make a difference. So Troy University is making a commitment not out of a desire to build a program, it's out of a desire to serve the deaf people of Alabama and the agencies that are charged with serving those important consumers.”
The ITP course of study at Troy will lead to a Bachelor of Science in education with a program in interpreting, according to a press release from the university. The university will match the $250,000 grant and plans to eventually establish a Center on Deafness.
The university will conduct a national search for a program coordinator and for adjunct faculty and will hire highly qualified instructors.
Students who participate in the program are required to possess Intermediate Plus to Advanced sign language skills for admission to the major. They will also be required to participate in observation and field experiences, a community-based internship and a K-12 internship to graduate.
Additionally, they must score a 3.4 on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment.
Tatum said the program will be another tool to draw students to Troy.
“This is a new program for us,” he said. “It's something that will allow us to continue to market ourselves.”
It will give us a different market segment to go after. And these individuals will not be coming out like our normal ed students do.
“These students will not only come out to be interpreters for education settings, but for all areas that need interpreters - hospitals, the court systems, just about anywhere the deaf population is served, you need interpreters there.
“This program doesn't exist anywhere in the state of Alabama right now, so if you want to be an interpreter and you want to get that four year degree, you've got to come to Troy.”
