Scholarship
2024-2025 Scholarship Award Winner
Christopher Mena
Wow, looking back to when I started the program, it’s crazy to imagine I’m at the end now. It started out with a couple of ASL classes and now I’m here. I feel incredibly grateful to the Deaf community for sharing their language, and now, having taken a class about the Deafblind community in my last semester, I am so incredibly grateful to them for sharing theirs and starting me on a journey to learning yet another language! One thing I will take from my time in the program is one of the most Champ ways to acquire language and learn about the culture that uses it is through immersion. I am grateful for this scholarship because it allowed me to take some time off from work at the start of the semester and focus on immersing myself in the Deaf community. Thank you to the ASLIT department for all the help you have given me!
2016-2017 Scholarship Award Winner
Kiera Wolfe
In the fall of 2014, I took my first ASL class at ACC. Predicting the absolute love I would have for ASL, the Deaf community, and interpreting would have been impossible at that time. But with each progressing semester, I fell in love with ASL and interpreting increasingly more; I’ve never looked back. Since I started this program in high school, with a part time job and an outrageous commute as well, I struggled to get out into the Deaf community as much as I wanted. After I graduated high school, I immersed myself as much as possible, but still knew I could do more. With this scholarship being awarded to me in the fall of 2017, I was able to quit my part time job and focus on volunteer interpreting, professional development, and volunteering in the Deaf community. Additionally, I am currently serving as the president of Onward to Interpreting which offers professional development for students and interpreters as well as CEU’s. I am very grateful for this opportunity to focus on supporting the Deaf community through volunteering and developing my interpreting skills full time. Thank you ASLIT!
2015-2016 Scholarship Award Winner
Britt Guilbeau
Going into the Spring 2015 semester, I made the tough decision to quit my job to focus solely on the interpreting program. I wanted the ability to accept as many learning opportunities as were offered to me, and as a result have had the chance to continuously volunteer at various events including some outside of Austin, immerse myself more in the Deaf community, network with professional interpreters, and work on developing my own interpreting skills. I also currently serve as the President for ASL Friends United, where I assist in developing events relating to the study of ASL/interpreting and the Deaf community. In addition, I have been able to join a group of internship students that will be participating in a study abroad trip next Spring, and help to coordinate fundraising efforts for trip expenses. The ASLIT scholarship has helped to alleviate some of the financial hardships of taking the time to be involved in these different capacities. I am truly grateful for the opportunities I’ve been given by being a part of this program, and look forward to the many more to come.
2014-2015 Scholarship Award Winners
Colleen Culton
I was very grateful to be awarded the ASLIT scholarship in 2014-2015. Winning the scholarship gave me resources to continue learning about the Deaf Community and American Sign Language. Having the support of the entire ASLIT department staff has been instrumental to my introduction and ongoing participation in this vibrant community. Thank you all!
Melissa Montemayor
From day one of my first ASL class in Austin community College I began to feel this passion that I never felt before. I was an accounting major at a university were financial aid helped me get through for three years but then I met a Sign Language Interpreter. I switched majors the following semester. I fell in love with this beautiful language that I did not care I was paying out of pocket and commuting 2 hours each class day semester after semester. One of my many talented and respected professors advised me to apply for the ASLIT scholarship. She knew my story of how I am the first generation of my family to attend college, English is actually my second language, and well I had recently accept the role of surrogacy for a family member. After all, everyone deserves a family and I was sure willing to help them become parents. The problem here was how was I going to pay for tuition if I was working less because of the pregnancy? I did not want putting a semester or two off to be an option but then I received an email with great news. I had been chosen to receive the ASL Interpreting Scholarship. Because of this tremendous burden off my shoulders I was able to solely focus on school and the health of this baby. The parents and I cannot put into words how much this foundation has played a huge part in all four of our lives. I was able to further my education, the soon-to-be parents are able to look forward into parenthood knowing I am still pursuing my dream, and baby girl is as healthy as she can be. I am due in less than two months now but I am still here in this magnificent ASLIT program that has changed my life. This would not have been possible without the ASL Interpreting Scholarship. We will forever be grateful and nothing can stop me now from becoming a trilingual interpreter. Thank you.
Donation
If you would like to donate to ASLIT Scholarship fund, you may wish to do here. Make sure to select ASL Interpreter Scholarship from the drop down menu.
Thank you, we appreciate your support.