Digital Commons Network^™

Your Voice Matters: Get Involved With Gsc, Casey Johnson-Pasqua, Rebecca Rydstrom

Staff Professional Development Week

Alumni Relations’ Rebecca Rydstrom and Youth Programs’ Casey Johnson-Pasqua, GSC’s Governance and Elections committee reps, will lead this session, which will focus on how staff can turn ideas into action by getting involved with the Gallaudet Staff Council (GSC). We’ll share what GSC does, what being a representative looks like, and how staff can step into these roles to help shape our campus community.

Microsoft 365+ Copilot, Adrian Rivera

Staff Professional Development Week

GTS’s Adrian Rivera explains how Microsoft 365 combined with Copilot gives Gallaudet staff powerful tools to work smarter, save time, and improve productivity across daily tasks. This workshop introduces how Copilot enhances familiar Microsoft 365 apps by using AI to simplify work and help staff stay organized.

Staff can also use Copilot to streamline workflows across Microsoft 365—organizing files, improving collaboration, and helping employees stay updated on new features and system changes. Copilot supports accessibility by offering clear explanations, step‐by‐step guidance, and tools that reduce manual work, making technology easier for all experience levels.

Introducing Our New Intranet Platform, Glenn Lockhart, Shannon Augustine, Maria Petrova-Margason

Staff Professional Development Week

Join us to learn about what’s replacing MyGU and how it is designed to enhance student organizations, university events, and engagement among students, staff and faculty. Get an overview of its features, rollout plans, and how the platform can streamline communication, collaboration, and campus connection.

Make Your Office Globally Accessible Without Adding To Your Workload, Rowena Winiarczyk, Fiona Grugan

Staff Professional Development Week

CORE’s Rue Winiarczyk and ACS’s Fiona Grugan often see that in today’s increasingly global campus environments, staff interact daily with students and colleagues from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Many common challenges, such as misinterpreted email tone, delayed responses, or unclear expectations, often come from small, everyday communication habits.

This session offers practical, low-effort strategies to make routine interactions more globally accessible without adding to staff workload. Rather than focusing on theory, the session centers on real scenarios staff already encounter, including writing emails, responding to questions, and navigating misunderstandings. Participants will learn simple adjustments that can immediately improve clarity …

Build Your Skills With Linkedin Training, Adrian Rivera

Staff Professional Development Week

GTS’s Adrian Rivera offers a chance to get acquainted with LinkedIn Training, which provides Gallaudet staff with a flexible, accessible way to strengthen professional skills and stay current with evolving workplace tools. With thousands of high‐quality online courses, employees can build confidence in areas such as communication, leadership, customer service, project management, and digital literacy. The platform allows staff to learn at their own pace, revisit topics as needed, and apply new skills directly to their daily responsibilities.

A key benefit for Gallaudet employees is the ability to stay updated on essential workplace technologies. Courses on Office 365 help staff …

Beyond The Request, Juliana Apfel

Staff Professional Development Week

Submitting an interpreting request is often seen as the final step in creating access. In reality, it is only the beginning.

GIS’s Juliana Apfel is here to show staff how to move beyond a request-based mindset and toward a more collaborative approach to access. Access does not happen automatically. It is shaped by timing, communication, preparation, and shared responsibility. Participants will reflect on how access is currently approached across campus and consider where gaps may exist. These moments are not about fault, but opportunities to strengthen how we work together.

At the center of this session is a simple but …

Signs Of Belonging: Community Identities Of Deaf Elders In Central And Coastal Massachusetts, Nelia Eaddy

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This study focuses on shared experiences and themes of community identities within the elder Deaf community of central and coastal Massachusetts. Lived experiences and linguistic journeys shape our overall senses of belonging and identities; subsequently, they profoundly affect our relationship to our communities (Eastaugh, 2019). This research study discusses how concepts of belonging shift as individuals age within their community and how that impacts their sense of belonging and experiences with language. Communities where individuals feel a sense of belonging encourage identity development. The experiences of elders who identify as “Deaf” (due to their language preference and cultural influences) within …

A Weeping Willow, An Original Script Enriching The Canon Of Deaf Plays, Tyler Furzland

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This creative writing capstone project presents A Weeping Willow, an original play script that explores themes of resilience, mental health, human connections, and acceptance. A teenager wakes up with no memory of the past year. Through fragmented glimpses of the past and the future, he struggles to piece together what happened on the most important day of his life. The play does not revolve around a Deaf-thematic storyline, a story that highlights the auditory aspects of the Deaf experience. This play is influenced by a study of scripts written by Deaf playwrights or plays featuring Deaf characters. This research examines …

Exploring Safety Perceptions On Campus: A Look At Student Responses To Campus Crime And Institutional Effectiveness, Edgar J. Delatorre

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

There is limited research examining safety-related programs and perceptions of Deaf and hard of hearing (HoH) students, especially in respect to how receptive these students are to resources aimed to keep them safe while they are on campus and how these resources are perceived and to what extent they are utilized. Gallaudet University is the only university in the United States established for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, with a bilingual campus where students and staff use both English and American Sign Language (ASL) – making it a unique focus of study compared to other universities that use primarily …

Worldbuilding A Place For The Deaf: An Encyclopedic Approach To Writing Inclusive Narratives, Frederick Scott

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This honors capstone project centered on existing deaf literature sets the stage for further storytelling projects using creative worldbuilding details written in an encyclopedic informational text. Across a fledgling life spent reading hearing fiction, a shortage of deaf literature has not gone unnoticed. To start addressing this shortage, this project collects necessary information to support further writings/publications of deaf literature. A review of American Signed Language and deaf/disabled representation in literary format shows that various strategies are employed to represent the language and people within their culture. The review identified examples of unique or distinct approaches used for various characters' …

Programming Lights For Storytelling In Live Theatre: Technology, Collaboration, And Creativity, Jeremy Pitts

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This project explores how theatrical programming supports creative storytelling in live performance while collaborating closely with a professional Lighting Designer. My primary focus is acquiring theatrical programming skills, with the already foundational knowledge of theatrical electricity that supports theatre productions. Throughout the thesis process, I will learn to operate the ETC (Electronic Theatre Controls) Ion Classic console via structured tutorials and hands-on production experience. This practical approach will guide me comprehensively to understand the console's capabilities and real-world application. As part of my capstone project, I take on a role as a Co-Lighting Designer, co-designering with a professional lighting designer …

Opium Of The Masses: An Analysis Of Archeobotanical Research In The City Of Tábor, Czechia And How It Potentially Influenced Forms Of Radical Hussism, Sasha Gladding

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Opium of the Masses performs in depth analysis of the Hussite Wars–a time period lasting from 1419 to 1436, Jan Hus, Hussite factionalism, and archeobotany. This analysis proposes that there are numerous possible contributing factors to the development of the radical Hussite teachings and ways of life. The instability of the Catholic hierarchy and the dissenting teachings of Jan Hus also likely were contributors to the development of the unique sociopolitical and spiritual practices of the radical Hussites. It is also possible that the Hussite factions residing in the Czech (then Bohemian) town of Tábor utilized opium as an entheogen …

Patient-Provider Communication Among Deaf English Users: Disparities And Implications For Cancer Screening, Ciara Luttrell

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Early detection is one of medicine's powerful tools; routine cancer screenings can help diagnose cancer early and enable immediate treatment. Cancer screening and prevention efforts have accounted for 4.75 million (80%) cancer deaths averted between 1975 and 2020 for five major cancer types (NIH, 2025). Nevertheless, this powerful tool is not shared equally. Many deaf adults who use English still experience barriers and disparities. Accordingly, the purpose of this study is to investigate how deaf English-using individuals in the United States interact with their healthcare providers and whether these interactions are associated with cancer screening interest among these populations. The …

251024_Skl_Lingbing_S032_En_M_V01, Julie A. Hochgesang, Krystin Balzarini, Alexander Ivanov, Kolby Lipiz, Steve J. Saenz, Grace Shi

LING BING

Scott Liddell's English narrative response to the list of sample questions related to the LING BING project.

The Lre Provision Of Idea's Impact On Deaf Students' Socio-Emotional Satisfaction In K-12th Grade Education, Shealyn Junge

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students represents a unique challenge in implementing inclusive practices that balance physical integration with meaningful language and communication access. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act’s Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) provision reflects a federal commitment to educating students with disabilities alongside their non-disabled peers whenever possible. This mixed-methods study examined how mainstream, co-enrollment settings, and Deaf schools shape the socio-emotional development of DHH students, including those transitioning between settings. While participants across placements reported increasing DHH identity pride, their social experiences diverged markedly: mainstream-educated participants universally reported loneliness by high school. Deaf …

Investigating The Microbial Communities In Freshwaters Of Northern Sweden, Maizy Wilcox

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Climate change is shifting the stability of sensitive ecosystems in the Arctic region due to global warming, with widespread impacts on permafrost regions, including the Stordalen Mire region of Sweden. Due to climate change, the Stordalen Mire is composed of thawing permafrost shifting into a wetland (V onk et al., 2015). As permafrost thaws, the landscape transforms due to changing water environmental conditions, causing lower pH changes and higher temperatures in the water, impacting the underlying soil chemistry and biology, vegetation, and microbial communities (Webb et al., 2022). The increased temperature can enhance methanogenic microbial growth by expanding the groundwater …

Creating Accessible Literature For Deaf Young Adults, Kailee Bates

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Access to literature in a person’s most accessible language is a human right. One that has been deprived from many members of the Deaf community, despite the growth of translated literature in other languages. Translators have yet to tackle the business of creating accessible American Sign Language (ASL) translations for older audiences, specifically for young adults. After the critical period of language development, less resources are tendered for older Deaf students. This project aimed to spread awareness of this need to several different people groups and emphasize the complexity of translating an English text into ASL. It did this by …

The Cost Of Accommodative Burdens: Prevalence & Impact On Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Individuals, Lorelei Becktel

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This exploratory qualitative study (n=8) investigated the mental health effects of lack of reciprocity in accommodation and the resulting accommodative burden on deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Lack of reciprocity occurs when the split of the burden for communication accommodations falls significantly more on the deaf or hard of hearing individual. The resulting accommodative burden occurs when deaf and hard of hearing individuals adapt to make communication easier for hearing people at a level that is uncomfortable, unwanted, and/or detrimental to their needs. Effects, determined by participant responses, were examined via semi-structured interviews and analyzed via thematic analysis. Relationships …

A Study Into The Psychology Of Emotions, Dark Comedy, And Theatre Of The Absurd: Ghosted An Original Script, Courtney Bronson

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Imagine a world without emotions. Ghosted is an eleven-part dark comedy script inspired by The Giver, Clue, Knives Out: Glass Onion, and Inside Out. The script explores the consequences of a dystopian, government-controlled society that has eradicated emotions in the name of order. The script blends dark comedy with elements of Theatre of the Absurd to highlight the farcical nature and danger of emotional suppression. Drawing on research in emotional psychology and emotional dysregulation, Ghosted presents emotions as incorporeal “Emotion Ghosts” that possess five volunteers and unleash unpredictable chaos. When one volunteer ends up dead, the remaining members begin to …

The Manifestation Of Synesthesia In The Deaf, Hard-Of-Hearing, And Sign Language User Population, Elizabeth Droubi

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This capstone project investigated the prevalence and manifestation of synesthesia—a perceptual condition where stimulation in one sensory pathway triggers automatic, involuntary experiences in another—within d/Deaf, hard-of-hearing (DHH), and sign language user populations. Despite an estimated prevalence of over 4% in the general population and findings that many synesthetic experiences are language-based, little is known about how synesthesia presents across different language modalities, including signed languages. This project explored the phenomenon in two phases: an initial online survey assessing the prevalence and characteristics of synesthesia among DHH and signing individuals and follow-up interviews with self-reported synesthetes along with a test-retest procedure …

Culturally Responsive Social-Emotional Learning Amid And After The Covid-19 Pandemic Among Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Students, Ezra Forero-Tarquino

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers recognized that online learning stagnated students’ social emotional development (SED). SED is the ability to foster meaningful relationships while also being able to manage, express, and acknowledge emotions, (Office of Head Start, n.d., para.2). SED is typically fostered through in-person interactions, therefore, social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies had to be modified to address online learning. SEL, is the practice of a wide range of skills, attitudes, and behaviors that affect a student’s success in school and life, and is necessary for SED. For example, critical thinking, managing emotions, working through conflicts, decision making, and …

Reimagining Law Enforcement Communication With The Black Deaf Community, Jeanelle Francis

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Law enforcement’s relationship with the Deaf community, particularly the African American/Black Deaf population, has historically been tense, leading to wrongful arrests, police brutality, and even fatalities. This capstone project examines the barriers to effective interaction between law enforcement and the Deaf community, specifically in first-encounter situations, highlighting the Black Deaf experience. Past research has addressed the language barriers that Deaf individuals face in situations such as traffic stops and legal proceedings. However, it rarely examines the specific experiences of Deaf Black/African American families impacted by police-induced trauma caused by an unfair power dynamic. This project is an exploratory study to …

Transgender & Gender-Diverse Interpreter Experiences, Atlas Rideout

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Transgender and gender-diverse ASL interpreters face unique challenges in their professional lives that remain largely unexamined in interpreting research. This investigational research project addresses this gap by exploring their individual lived experiences through analysis of both anecdotal and numerical data collected via a survey. Through this survey, participants were invited to share their narratives, highlighting issues such as discrimination, self-disclosure, and gender identity within professional practice. At the time of writing, very minimal research has been done on the experiences of transgender and gender-diverse ASL interpreters. The research that has been completed has either lumped transgender individuals in with the …

The Missing Link: Connecting Hearing Parents Of Deaf Children To Resources That Re-Center Language Access Decisions Around Their Deaf Child, Ella Stromberg

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Countless DHH children around the world experience language deprivation (National Association of the Deaf, n.d.). The deprivation of language severely impacts on a child’s comprehension and communication, limiting essential information for growth; in contrast, a hearing child would have advantageous access. Language deprivation occurs when parents cannot access or are unaware about resources to make educated decisions that center around their child (National Association of the Deaf, n.d.). This three-section project examines the experience of a Deaf individual born into a hearing family with no structural language access until his teenage years, highlighting the long-term impact of limited language exposure …

Comparing Deaf School And Mainstream Student-Athletes' Mental Health: Depression, Anxiety And Risk Factors, Ella Gamble

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The deaf community is diverse, including individuals from all different backgrounds. Sports are a large part of the community and are advocated for the deaf community. However, the mental impacts of sports within the deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) collegiate athlete population has received very little scholarly attention, especially in regards to their varying upbringings. Anxiety and depression are mental health issues (MHI) that have gained increasing attention in the hearing sports community, but this also extends to DHH student-athletes based on empirical evidence. This study focuses on the differences of MHIs in DHH student-athletes at Gallaudet University. The …

Exploring The Relationship Between Disability And Stress: A Preliminary Study, Katie Mcclyman

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

Mental health issues can become disabling, and living with a disability in an ableist world can cause mental health struggles. This project explores what aspects of living with a disability generate stress. This project is a survey that gathered data through a two-questionnaire survey of disabled college-aged students. The need for a project like this came from the fact that there is not substantial research from the field of psychology done on disabled people and the relationship between disability and stress. The results of this study found that the more disability impact increases, so does disability related stress. This means …

Preparing To Bridge The Deaf Math Gap: Exploring Preparation Materials For Asl Interpreters In Math Education, Taylor Victor

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

The gap in performance between hearing students and their mainstreamed deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) peers who use ASL interpreters expands throughout various grade levels and is not a new issue, especially in mathematics. This delay in mathematical development has been prevalent for many decades, and it is still being determined at what level it begins and what the causes are. D/HH students' academic success is often connected to high-quality academic sign language interpreting (Jones, 2017). However, there are still many college-level American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting programs that are not focused on educational interpreting. This lack of focus …

Themes Of Moral Injury In The Field Of Asl Interpreting, Samantha Michaelson

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

This research project explores connections between a moral injury framework and the recognition and mitigation of ethical stress and trauma experienced by ASL-English interpreters. I have employed strategies such as thick description, textual analysis, and a narrative synthesis of existing literature on moral injury and ethical stress in interpreting to arrive at my findings. The study explains Demand Control Schema (DCS) and the Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) as valuable tools for interpreters to discuss and address ethical stresses that arise in their work. Additionally, I examine the concept of role space and its relevance to the experience of ethical/moral …

Brain Fog: An Adventure: Part One, Amalia Mihalakakos

Undergraduate University Honors Capstones

My book was developed through research on creating believable characters and how to write effectively for elementary schoolers. The goal of this project was to have a book that, when finished being written, any child could pick up and find peace. I hoped that every reader would learn something new about a culture they are unfamiliar with or about themselves. For children, developing empathy and a deeper understanding of others can have a lasting impact. Not only does empathy and understanding provide a foundation for other skills, but it can also begin to evolve and grow over time. Brain Fog: …

The Deaf Media Family, 1974-2012: List Of Persons Involved With Deaf Media, Susan D. Rutherford, Rick Clogher

Series 01: History of DEAF Media, Inc.

Compiled by Susan Rutherford and Rick Clogher, this document provides a comprehensive list of peope involved in DEAF Media, Inc. over the years, including listing which productions they were a part of.