Leading the Bison Charge!

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

ROUND 2

Yeah, I know, ROUND 1 was 1 1/2 years ago and I've just now gotten around to ROUND 2.  Call it the spiritual gift of procrastination.  So, I'm sitting here in the library in the Merrill Learning Center (Gallaudet University's library) and I just spoke with Melba Goodwin, who is the director of the Hearing UnderGrad program.  I was pre-approved for admission based on my previous college transcripts and ACT scores-including a perfect score on the essay.  (Ok, I admit, I  took the ACT on campus and Gally gives you like twice the time, but you get to witness my stellar writing skills here in my blog!!! And yes, I am very humble!!!)  Anyway, ROUND 2 was the hard part.  I had a HUG interview and the American Sign Language-Proficiency Interview.

It's probably NOT a good thing when during an interview, the interviewer keeps telling you to relax and drink some of the water she gave you before the interview began!  I wasn't as nervous as I appeared.  I wasn't sure how Melba and her boss, Trina Schooley, felt about my answers though.  Melba took A LOT of notes, which can be unnerving for the interviewee.  (Yes, that's a real word; I looked it up.  Google can't lie, right?!)  Anyway, it could have gone a lot better; probably could have gone a lot worse, though.


The ASL-PI was my real obstacle, though.  Basically, it's a conversation with an "interviewer" that is recorded and then evaluated to determine the interviewee's ASL skills.  I felt the conversation was quite pleasant.  We mostly talked about my major (PE).  However, my score was low.


After getting my ASL-PI score in April and not receiving a final decision, I FINALLY went to talk to Melba in person.  She said they had mailed me a letter saying I was denied due to my low ASL-PI score.  (If only I had half the proficiency in ASL that I have in English...)  I never received the letter, but that is irrelevant at this point.  The question is what to do next short of going van Gogh* style.  If I was deaf or hard of hearing, I could be admitted without the ASL-PI and simply have to pass it for graduation.  As much as I want to go to Gally, I don't think I can pull off the van Gogh look!!!


Two of my friends, JB and Zamica Gage, have recently offered to tutor me in ASL.  Others have offered in the past.  I am also looking into taking classes on campus.  I will just have to go more rounds than I intended.  I will have to wait a little longer to suit up in the BUFF AND BLUE and play for Coach Stephanie Stevens.  I have had the honor of witnessing her coach up close as part of my watergirl duties and spoken with her personally.  I have great respect for her personally AND as a coach!!!  (I'm NOT just saying that cuz she will have the authority to make me run suicides one day!!!)


In conclusion, I must say that I AM NOT DISCOURAGED!!!  I WILL GO TO GALLY!!!  No, this is NOT the result I wanted.  However, as I told my good friend Dayak Dashuwar, "It's just a speed bump.  Speed bumps force you to slow down, but they DON'T stop you.."


*Vincent van Gogh was a painter in the 19th century who cut off his own ear.