Prof. John Pirone

Prof. John Pirone is a faculty member in the Deaf Studies program at the College of Holy Cross in Worcester, MA.  He has been teaching American Sign Language and Deaf Studies since 2004. Prior to his teaching, he was the Executive Director of a nonprofit membership organization, Massachusetts State Association of the Deaf (MSAD) for four years. He is currently a Doctorate in Education (Ed.D) student at Northeastern University and his research interests are Student Retention, Deaf Studies, and Higher Education Administration.

Beyond Words…Taking Action…Strategies for Deaf Studies Programs

This workshop will introduce and discuss six different Deaf Studies programs in Massachusetts. These six programs have some similarities and differences in terms of program mission, program structure, curriculum, and internal struggles. Not all programs share a similar definition of Deaf Studies. Some institutions consider this field of study as vocational and some think of it as a broader study of humanity. This variation in perspective affects the design of the institutional program and the level of support it receives from the administration.  Struggles are both explicit and implicit, raising issues such as perception about Deaf Studies, budget constraints, lack of representation in faculty senate, and disparity in program structure in comparison to other existing programs.  The presentation will also look at and highlight the many contributions these programs make to the students, the institution, and the community.
After the presentation, the presenters will lead a discussion with attendees on the current situation amongst Deaf Studies programs – identify the existing challenges and consider potential strategies for making Deaf Studies an equally respectable discipline within institutions of higher education.