 "Photo: Era Sundar • Campus Editor")
With a growing population of more than 200 deaf students attending Austin Community College, the Deaf Studies Association (DSA) has taken on the role of encouraging and supporting ACC's deaf community while fostering interaction between hearing and non-hearing students.
Membership in the club is open to all students regardless of hearing ability.
"It's good for deaf students to react with hearing students and DSA provides a beautiful opportunity for collaboration between both groups," counselor, professor and club adviser Patti Singleton said.
"I am the only deaf counselor at ACC, so I have a vested interest. I see students who were like me when I was in college and I tell them they can do anything — except hear."
The concept of achievement against the odds is one that Singleton demonstrates by example. She is the first deaf woman from Texas to earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet University in Washington D.C. According to Singleton, the club's role is not to shelter deaf students but to help them develop skills and show them how to help themselves.
DSA President Roxanne Ruiz is hard of hearing and relies heavily on lip reading and sign language to communicate. She said she credits the example set by Singleton and her own membership in DSA with giving her the courage and help she needed to fulfill her educational goals, which include studying social work at Texas State University this spring.
"Our main goal is to promote leadership, socialization, community service and empowerment," Ruiz said.
In order to foster leadership development and community involvement, DSA will hold its biggest event, ASL Fest, during the first week of March at Riverside Campus. The three-day festival will be a collaboration among DSA and other agencies and schools that serve the deaf community such as the Texas School for the Deaf, Vocational Rehabilitation and Gallaudet University Regional Center.
The first day of the festival will focus on high school students and their transition into college. The next day will highlight professional development, and the third day will celebrate family and community with free food, an art display by deaf artists, drama presented by deaf actors and music. According to Singleton, the club is trying to book a deaf rock band from Austin for the event.
In addition to major events like ASL Fest, DSA meetings provide an environment for tudents who study American Sign Language (ASL) to practice their skills.
"I picked up a lot of new words at meetings," DSA secretary and SOCC representative Sabrina Holland said.
Holland, a recent graduate
of ACC who is now pursuing a certificate in American Sign Language, said she has always been fascinated byASL and found speaking with one's hands to be beautiful. Although not hearing impaired, Holland said being involved in DSA has been beneficial and has taught her
about deaf culture. "Get involved and get to know
them," Holland said. "Being deaf is not a disability. They are unique."
For more information or to get on DSA's contact list, email DSA advisor Patti Singleton at drpatti@ austincc.edu
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