Academy prepares high school students who are deaf for future transitions

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Melissa Hawkins can remember the challenges she faced when she transitioned to Penn State as a student who is deaf. From needing more time to take tests to struggling to find a sense of community, Hawkins said the obstacles she faced were many. She was able to overcome those challenges after a professor helped her get the support she needed to succeed.  

She is now a proud Penn State alumna and co-director of the Pennsylvania Deaf and Hard of Hearing Summer Academy, where she recently shared some of the lessons she learned with the next generation of students who face similar challenges.

“I am so grateful for that professor. When someone impacts you, you take that with you forever. That is the kind of impact we hope to have on our students,” said Hawkins, who co-directs the program with Russell Goddard. “As two individuals who are deaf, we are sharing the information that we wish we had when we went to college with these students, because the reality is, it is a challenging world if you are deaf. Even though there have been many advancements, there are still things that you have to know."

Offered at no cost to high school students through the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry-Office of Vocational Rehab, the academy is held in partnership with Penn State Conferences and Institutes and the College of Health and Human Development. The goal is to help students as they prepare to transition to the next chapter in life, whether that be college, trade school, or the workplace. 

The academy returned to Penn State in 2023 for the first time since the pandemic, allowing 17 students to get a glimpse of campus life. During the 10-day program, residential assistants (RAs), sign language interpreters, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) captioning professionals, and vocational rehab specialists from around the state supported the students as they stayed in residence halls, ate in dining halls, and went to class. The curriculum is focused on self-advocacy, communication access options, college skills, social-emotional skills, vocational development, and evening recreational activities. 

Other highlights in 2023 included a personal safety presentation by Penn State University Police and Public Safety, a tour of Beaver Stadium, and a trip to Stone Valley Recreation Area. 

Modeled after the Pennsylvania Summer Academy for Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired, which also was held on campus earlier this summer, Goddard helped to develop the program in 2016. He said it is unique among other residential transition skill programs because it is led by deaf adults who know firsthand the challenges that the students face.  

“Part of the curriculum is based on my personal experience growing up with hearing loss, and we try to give the students the information and skills we wish we had when we went to college,” Goddard said.  

Academy student Samantha McGuire plans to attend Penn Highlands Community College in the fall of 2023 as a first-year student. She said the academy helped prepare her for success.  

“This program has taught me how to advocate for myself, and how to coexist in the world. It has given me the knowledge to go out in the world and be ready to take it on,” McGuire said. “The biggest highlight has been getting to spend time with these amazing people — the students, the RAs, the staff. It truly has been an amazing experience.” 

Hawkins said helping the students grow every year during the academy has changed her life, providing her the opportunity to have a positive impact. During the academy’s recent closing ceremony, she told the students they have a support system to accomplish their future goals. 

“We are all a community now. It took me a long time to find my community, and I am so glad that it did not take you that long to find yours,” Hawkins said.  

Conferences and Institutes is a program of Penn State Outreach.