CWU Deaf and Sign Language Studies celebrates first deaf graduate

ELLENSBURG - Ivan Alfaro knew that being deaf was about more than just sign language, so when he found the Deaf and Sign Language Studies program at Central Washington University, he knew this was the degree to pursue.

At June’s commencement ceremony, he became the first deaf student to graduate from the DSLS program.

“When I saw this program being built, I knew I had to apply,” Alfaro said. “With the kinds of classes being offered, and the scale of the program, there was no question in my mind.”

After encountering many obstacles in the educational system as a youth, Alfaro was pleased to find no such hindrances at CWU. Not only did he find the help he needed; he was given all the resources he needed to thrive.

“Taking these classes at CWU was like nothing I’d ever done before,” said Alfaro, who grew up in Yakima. “The accommodations for me as a deaf individual really proved the school’s commitment to my success. There were no roadblocks whatsoever.”

The DSLS program, introduced by the Department of World Languages in 2020, is designed to educate more people about deaf culture and sign language. CWU American Sign Language Program Coordinator Dr. Taralynn Petrites believes this approach is more holistic, and thus better equips students for a broad variety of careers.

“Deaf studies can be a more medical, systemic, one-sided view,” she said. “We wanted to create a program that would allow students to become teachers of the deaf and operate more fluidly within the deaf space. Our program focuses more on language, and the culture behind it. It provides a foundation from which students can go into a variety of positions with a little extra specialized training, like interpreting and teaching.”

Alfaro agreed, adding that the DSLS program and others like it are necessary to help those with the ability to hear appreciate and navigate the significant differences between the deaf and hearing communities.

“Hearing individuals usually don’t really know the intricacies and grammar of what’s being said in ASL,” he said. “They may have taken some courses in high school, but there’s a big difference between that and navigating a deaf space. Courses like these give them a chance to build on that foundation and really connect with the community and culture of the deaf environment.”

Petrites said Alfaro’s graduation will help demonstrate the program’s accessibility to other deaf students. She and her colleagues recognize how important his accomplishment is to the deaf community in Washington state.

“They can see that there’s a program like this that has the necessary support for both the deaf and hearing to learn more about ASL and the culture behind it,” Petrites said. “We have other people like Ivan reaching out to us about the program. It’s a huge step for us, and a great motivator in continuing our work.”

Alfaro hopes to leverage his double majors in DSLS and disability studies to start a career in improving access for the deaf.

“There are so many opportunities that come along with this degree, it’s definitely not just about the signing,” he said. “I could be a teacher, a tutor, a sales assistant, an interpreter, and so many more things that are needed to provide more accessibility to the deaf community.”