Grand Valley State University’s American Sign Language and Culture Club and Phi Sigma Pi co-hosted the first Deaf for Day event to promote learning and understanding.

The American Sign Language and Culture Club was founded in 2004. Deaf for a Day is the first public event co-hosted by the ASLCC.

“I think the event was very successful,” said Molly Arnold, president of ASLCC. “We had a great turn out, people were interested in our presentations, and there was a great response in our surveys and just talking to people during the social part of the event.”

The ASLCC hopes to make Deaf for a Day an annual event. Arnold said many people were asking questions after the event, which they felt was a positive response and reason to host it again.

The event was co-hosted by ASLCC and Phi Sigma Pi’s scholarship committee. Arnold was the main representative of Phi Sigma Pi and Jim Stray was the main representative.

The event included guest speaker professor Trent Wade from Delta College, who gave a presentation on the statistics of number of deaf or hard of hearing adults and children in Michigan and the inadequate number of interpreters in Michigan to meet the needs of those individuals requiring interpreting services.

Wade also gave information on the interpreter training programs in Michigan. A representative from Baker College provided more information on the programs, since GVSU does not offer a program.

Tony Hess, a member of ASLCC, shared his experience as a hard of hearing individual and hearing aid user.

“Tony’s presentation was very touching for many people and he had a great response from the audience who wanted to know more,” Arnold said.

Arnold also shared some of her personal experience.

“I shared my experience as well about growing up with a hearing impairment in a family that is all hearing and the transitions I have made from identifying as a hearing individual to deaf and accepting deaf culture to preferring to be identified by my name as a person who has the best of both the deaf and hearing ‘worlds,’” Arnold said.

The event ended with a social. Attendees were able to try to communicate using sign language or, if they didn’t know sign, pads of paper and pens were provided so that hearing and deaf attendees could bridge the communication barrier and share their experiences and learn from each other said Arnold.

For more information about Deaf for a Day, visit www.facebook.com/events/332657586769700/.

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