The Three Founders Of Gallaudet University

Gallaudet University is a bilingual university using both sign language and English communication. It is a 99-acre federal chartered private university for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing education in Washington D.C. The university is 152 years old, founded on April 18, 1864 by Congress. The three founders of the university are Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Amos Kendall, and Edward Miner Gallaudet. Abraham Lincoln signed the college’s charter to make sure the deaf get degrees. “Gallaudet University maintains a proud tradition of research and scholarly activity and prepares its graduates for career opportunities in a highly competitive, technological, and rapidly changing world”. The university is a safe haven for the deaf and hard of hearing students and community. On the campus the professors communicate through American Sign Language and English to ensure that all students will have the opportunity to learn and communicate.

Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded Gallaudet College which was changed to a
university in October 1986 becoming Gallaudet University. Two years after the Gallaudet College became a university in March 1988 Deaf Presidents Now (DPN) helped the college elect their first deaf president to the university, Dr. I. King Jordan and the Board of Trustee’s first deaf chairman, Phillip Bravin in 1966. The university was named after him and he was the first principal of the college. He was born on December 10, 1787 in Philadelphia and died on September 10, 1851 in Connecticut. He is famous for developing education for the deaf and hard-of-hearing students. He studied in Europe to learn about deaf education and how deaf students were taught. Gallaudet believed using sign language to teach students but the university in the beginning only used “oral methods” which he did not believe in. He said that “there is no value for younger children if they are taught through oral methods”.

The total number of presidents in the university’s history is 11 presidents. The current president is Roberta “Bobbi” Cordano. In 152 years that the university has been open the position has never be upheld by a deaf individual Bobbi took office on January 1, 2016. She communicates by using American Sign Language also known as “ASL”. Cordano never attended a deaf school all of her school career. Cordano stated “I grew up during a period of time when it was believed that American Sign Language was what they called a monkey language”. She grew up surrounded by deaf people such as her parents and older sister are deaf along with many of her “childhood neighbors”. She was born and grew up in Delavan, Wisconsin where she attended the local public school. Cordano became excellent at reading lips and speaking.

Gallaudet University the world’s only university whom all their programs and services will accommodate the deaf and hard-of-hearing students.
The university has a program called The Hearing Undergraduate Program (HUG program) to help hearing students at the university who want to enroll as an ungraduated wanting a degree to work with the deaf community. These students need to have an understanding and knowledge of ASL.

The university serves students for 4 years or more depending on their degree. Gallaudet offers many degrees and courses including; Bachelor’s of Arts or Sciences, Master of Sciences; and doctoral degrees. There alumni have many occupations including; lawyers, scholars, investment bankers and many others. The highest degree earned at the university is a doctorate. As of 2014 the acceptance rate into the university is 65.3%. The university has fairly small classes, over 90% of the university’s class consist of 20 students or
less.

As of 2016, there were approximately 1,623 students on campus but it can only approximately accommodate 1,200 students. There are 6 resident halls and 3 Faculty Row houses on the campus. At the Kendall Apartments, there are apartments for families with children. In the resident halls, there are dorms for married couples without children for them to reside. In order to use the dorms either for married couples with or without children one of the two spouses has to be a current student at the university. Dorms can cost anywhere between $3,611 to $4,161 depending if it is a single room with or without a private bathroom or double rooms.

Gallaudet University tuition for students that reside in the U.S. is $15, 552 for undergraduate and $32,400 for a graduate degree. Gallaudet’s mission is for everyone to be able to afford their education and can attend the university no matter their economic status. For any students who need a meal plan the university offers many plans. UNDERGRADUATE GRADUATE
U.S. student tuition $ 15,552 $ 17,100
International student tuition (non-developing countries) $ 31,104 $ 34,200
International student tuition (developing countries) $ 23,328 $ 25,650
Room and Board $ 13,040 $ 13,040 The Bison is the mascot meaning they are tough. Gallaudet University’s colors are buff which is a pale yellow-brown and blue. In the beginning of Gallaudet College teams’ were known as “Kendall’s” since the campus was name Kendall Green. Kendall Green got its name from Amos Kendall, the philanthropist who founded the university on his estate’s property. Later, the teams name changed to “Blues” after their colors blue and buff after the Kendall School for the Deaf, the elementary school program was separated from the College in the early 20th century. The colors most likely came to be from the floor tiles colors in the main building of the campus. They were also said to become that color due to the Revolutionary War and the soldiers uniform colors. In the 1930s and 1940’s the students decide the team’s name the “Blues” was not as tough as they wanted it to be and it didn’t represent the school’s fighting spirit. The bison costume is worn by different student in the university, it is never one by one person.