Where are they now? Alumni share how Deaf Studies has shaped their lives

Continuing our celebration of Gallaudet’s Deaf Studies 30th Anniversary, we spotlight several alumni of the Bachelor’s and Master’s degree programs. Read below to be inspired and amazed by the accomplishments of these thinkers and changemakers. From Japan to Germany, and New York to right here on campus, these DST alumni demonstrate how their academic background has helped them positively impact their communities. 

Drew Budai

Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies in 2000

British Sign Language instructor

After taking Introduction to Deaf Studies with Dr. Arlene B. Kelly, ‘77 & G-’92, Budai was hooked. “I told her that I wanted to take more courses,” says Budai, who threw himself into learning as much about Deaf history as possible. “Her encouragement and support gave me confidence and pride in Deaf Culture and my own abilities.” It also taught him to place Deaf culture and the rights of Deaf people at the center of everything he does.

In his senior year, Budai worked at the GU Archives, which led to a position as a digital collections technician there for three years. He and his partner then moved to Liverpool, England, where he learned British Sign Language (BSL). Drawing on his DST training, he was determined to support the Deaf community and provide services to Deaf people. So he began to teach BSL and served as a support worker for vulnerable Deaf people in Liverpool. “It was a great opportunity to learn about the UK Deaf Culture and the unique history of the Liverpool Deaf Community,” he says.

In May of 2021, Budai moved to Scotland, where he now teaches BSL as well as a Deaf Awareness Course for medical, legal, and other professionals.

Living abroad has emphasized to Budai that every country has its own deaf community. “They are all unique even as they share many common challenges,” says Budai, who wants to see Deaf Studies take a closer look at LGBTQIA issues, Deaf Indigenous people, and other international Deaf communities.

Ardavan Guity

Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies in 2016

Director of Deaf Studies Department, Ohlone College

At the age of 9, Guity — a native of Tehran, Iran — saw a photograph of Chapel Hall. He was fascinated with the idea of an all-signing place so far away. ‘I realized I wanted to specialize in Deaf things,” says Guity, who dedicated himself to advocacy, deaf youth camps, and conferences in Iran. “But I had a sense that something was out there that I was missing.” In 2011, he went to the World Federation of the Deaf Congress in Durban, South Africa, where he was drawn to the familiar image of Chapel Hall  at the Gallaudet booth. In January 2013, he finally saw it in person on his way to registration as an English Language Institute student. 

When he was deciding his major, he saw that Deaf Studies was an option, but he did not know what that meant until he had a meeting with program chair Kelly. “She explained everything and I was so excited. ASL, linguistics, culture, etc. — that curriculum was exactly what I wanted,” he says. “We need to know about ourselves, and study ourselves, before we can educate others. I always had so many questions and then that program helped me answer them.”

Courses with Kelly, Bahan, Dr. Carolyn McCaskill, ’77, G-’79, & PhD ’05, and others gave Guity a Deaf framework that allowed him to appreciate his culture and language in new ways. “When I started in DST, there was so much rich info I wanted to share with others in Iran,” he says. He established a social media platform in 2014 to educate Deaf Iranians, which met with some initial resistance. “People didn’t want to even believe that Esharani (Sign Language of Iran) was indeed a language,” he notes. However, this resistance has abated over time.

After obtaining his BA, Guity continued his studies at Gallaudet and became the first Deaf Iranian with a doctorate in linguistics. In the meantime, he had various jobs on campus, including as an adjunct instructor and the Gesture Lab manager. He also penned The Deaf Book with Sara Siyavoshi that touched upon Deaf culture, linguistics, and sign language.  Published in Farsi in 2020, the book is now in its fifth reprinting.

Today, Guity is the director of the Deaf Studies Department at Ohlone College in Fremont, California.  Additionally, he continues to teach online on weekends for the Fereshtegaan International Branch of the Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, where his Deaf sister is the first Deaf faculty member to be hired.

Guity’s dream is to establish a network of DST programs — in Iran and around the world — where community members can recognize that although they can learn from the U.S., they should not ignore their distinct identity. “My fear is that countries don’t value their language and culture,” he says. “Deaf studies is the heartbeat that makes everything else function well.” 

Megumi Kawakami

Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies in 2011

Sign Language interpreter

Growing up in Okinawa, Japan, her parents and other deaf leaders in the community were Kawakami’s role models. But when she arrived at Gallaudet, her role models expanded to include esteemed deaf faculty and academics. “I’d observe and admire one person’s teaching approach, another’s signing style, another’s skill set. Then in the future, those role models formed my own identity and what I brought to the world as I engaged with it,” says Kawakami, who went on to earn a master’s in interpretation, and is now a sought-after deaf interpreter working across American Sign Language, International Sign, and Japanese Sign Language in high-level international settings. She also does community-based interpreting, DeafBlind Interpreting, and presents and teaches different topics in the interpretation field.

“The more I look back on my experience there, the more I honor and appreciate it,” Kawakami says. During her training at Gallaudet, she developed tools that give her the confidence to approach any professional situation and interact with different kinds of people. “When you have an academic foundation, you are more able to respect others. It’s so easy to stereotype people based on hearing status or skin color rather than thinking about them as an individual. By seeing people more abstractly, we consider identity with more respect,” she says. Taking a class with instructor Lindsay M. Dunn, ’85, was especially meaningful for Kawakami, who appreciated his advocacy for more representation of diversity in Deaf spheres. 

Through her Deaf Studies coursework, Kawakami gained an in-depth understanding of theories of oppression. This in turn improved her collaborative efforts with her hearing colleagues, ultimately enhancing her interpretation work. Deaf Studies also helped Kawakami explore her own multiple identities as well as the intersection of deaf culture with Japanese and Okinawan cultures.

In her work, she recognizes herself in people struggling with very powerful emotions that can hinder their life’s journeys – Kawakami says she was the same way until she was able to unpack a lot of this through the analytical and academic lenses she learned from DST. “Anywhere I go on a daily basis, I meet hearing people. This is the world we live in. It’s important to keep yourself rooted in a strong deaf identity and culture,” she says.

And it’s important to keep Deaf Studies growing at Gallaudet. “There’s so much rich history, many amazing leaders worldwide, and people who did great work,” she says. “We need to keep that knowledge and pass it on to children in the future to keep those traditions, knowledge, and information alive.”

Ryan Commerson

Master’s in Deaf Studies in 2008

Film Producer & Strategist

Both Deaf Gain and DeafSpace were born while Commerson was here at Gallaudet, giving him a front row seat to the incredible development of the Deaf Studies field. “The transformative growth that happened during those two years with DST was what gave me the wings to get to where I am today,” says Commerson, who served on architect Hansel Bauman’s team, which incorporated deaf experience into design.

The vision, guidance, and curiosity of his professors and classmates encouraged him to look at the world differently. “[They] opened my mind to the possibilities beyond my previous disability framework-induced victim mentality and commanded that I molt into a new being,” he says. “Upon graduation, I saw the world differently and moved with a purpose.” 

After graduation, Commerson founded a non-profit, Facundo Element, which actively worked to reframe and reposition Deaf communities. After leading film production for Communication Services for the Deaf, Commerson developed his relationship with Sorenson Communications, where he has climbed the ranks as Director of Marketing, Vice President of Brand Marketing, and now as Competitive Intelligence and Product Strategist. He is behind several iconic short films, including one on the contributions and potential of Gallaudet students.

Commerson has many fond memories from his time at Gallaudet, studying the nature of language, considering the theories of philosophers Michel Foucault and Louis Althusser, and spending late nights at Cafe Berlin with classmates discussing “the simplicity of transforming the world.” But there’s one moment that stands out: “I was in the library working through microfiches looking for something for my MA Thesis and stumbled upon Stuart Hall’s lecture on ‘Representation and the Media’ by Sanjay Talreja. This film connected all the dots for me and helped me complete my thesis film: “Media, Power, & Ideology: Re-presenting D-E-A-F.”

Deaf Studies has matured with discoveries, and now Commerson wants to see the next stage in its evolution. “For a long time, DST was purely theoretical. It is now ready for the real game: tangible application to life,” he says. It is time to use the Deaf Studies lens to rewrite Deaf education policies and overall pedagogy, address phonocentrism in workplaces, and enlighten hearing people. He says the Deaf Studies program “offers gold nuggets for the entire hearingkind on the ways its innovative future cannot exist effectively without the discoveries made within the space of deaf-way-of-being.”

Larry Gray, Ed.D.

Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies in 2001, Master’s in Deaf Studies in 2006

Professor

“When I took Deaf History with Dr. Susan Burch, she reminded us to ask who is missing when reading about Deaf history and Deaf culture,” Gray remembers. “Too often, marginalized Deaf people are not included in research and dialogues.” It is a question that has stuck with Gray, a Deaf gay Latino man, who appreciates that Deaf Studies gave him the opportunity to explore these identities.

It is also something he thinks about in the classroom today. The undergraduate and graduate programs in Deaf Studies served as a foundation for his doctoral studies, and currently, Gray is a tenured professor at Anne Arundel Community College in the World Languages department. 

“The DST program taught me relevant knowledge and skills needed for my career,” he says. In addition to academic training, it gave him the chance to meet people, try new things, and develop more confidence.

Gray continues to draw on his Deaf Studies background as he observes changes in how people are communicating. He says that with the rise of social media and increased access to information and technology, Deaf people and Deaf culture are evolving. “Therefore, I remind myself that not everyone will fit into specific boxes and to be open to new identities, backgrounds, and stories,” he says.  

At the DST 30th Anniversary Symposium, Gray was pleased to see that the Program has expanded to include the Center for Black Deaf Studies and Casa Nuestra, and has developed a global focus. “I would like to see more international Deaf people study DST to arm themselves with tools and skills necessary for their countries and elevate the Deaf communities globally,” he says.

Monica Keller-Knörzer

Bachelor’s in Deaf Studies in 2012

PhD Student

Berlin, Germany is where you can currently find Keller-Knörzer, who is pursuing doctoral studies remotely with the University of Arizona in linguistics with a focus area incorporating language planning and policy. She maintains her cultural connection between the United States and Europe with dual citizenship.

Her globetrotting career began with the DST program at Gallaudet, which set her up with an internship in the Marshall Islands. This immersive experience laid the groundwork for her commitment to elevating education for Deaf people worldwide, especially in remote areas. Back on campus, DST events with international lecturers and teachers inspired her to keep exploring and building bridges across communities. “Today, my career spans the global stage, including a four-year term with the World Federation of the Deaf’s Expert Group under the Sign Language Education branch,” she says.

In her various roles as a linguist, consultant, and teacher, she finds herself engaging with her Deaf Studies background. “It is a lens into the cultural intricacies of the Deaf experience, one that has propelled my work and advocacy worldwide,” Keller-Knörzer says. “The DST program taught me to view language not merely as a tool for communication but as a formidable means of advocacy and empowerment. This perspective has been invaluable in navigating cross-cultural interactions and ensuring that language accessibility remains at the core  of my work.”

DST’s vibrant leaders and changemakers have also had a profound impact on her life and perspectives. One course that left a lasting impression on Keller-Knörzer was Deaf Women’s Studies with Kelly. “Her dedication to preserving and celebrating the contributions of Deaf women helped me appreciate the resilience and impact of this community in shaping Gallaudet’s history,” she says. 

Looking to the future, Keller-Knörzer would like to see Deaf Studies emphasize a more global approach. “Offering courses on various sign languages at Gallaudet could be a powerful step toward fostering respect and understanding for the rich tapestry of Deaf cultures worldwide,” she says.

Melissa Malzkuhn

Master’s in Deaf Studies in 2008

Leader, digital strategist, and storyteller

A familiar face on the Gallaudet campus, Melissa Malzkuhn ‘04, G-’08, is the founder and director of Motion Light Lab (ML2), a lab using technology and storytelling tools to create sign language learning and literacy materials for deaf children. Embodying the interdisciplinary nature of the Deaf Studies field, Malzkuhn blends her experience and knowledge in community activism and mobilization, creating new ASL learning experiences, utilizing the power of storytelling, and understanding language acquisition. Oh, and she’s also an Obama Fellow, Ashoka Fellow, part of the CripTech Metaverse Lab cohort, and winner of the Elevate Prize.

“I got to where I am now by believing in the greatness of Deaf centric stories and by exploring possibilities with emerging technologies, from a signer perspective,” she says. 

The Deaf Studies program gave her a foundational understanding of Deaf history, culture, philosophy, ideology, and narratives, and Deaf peoples’ roles in them, which she continues to build upon as a Deaf person today. “By seeing how our lives and especially our history were shaped in the past, it gave me a sense of certainty in how we should design equitable futures for all, and protect the human rights of deaf children,” she explains.

Malzkuhn had her first experience at a film festival through the DST program, where she won the Judges Choice Award and Audience’s Vote awards for Tara’s Story, a short documentary on the 2006 Gallaudet protest. After graduating from the program, she became the first managing editor of the Deaf Studies Digital Journal, and her MA thesis led to the establishment of Deaf Youth USA (DYUSA), now known as the National Association of the Deaf’s Youth Section. “This program creates leaders,” she says. 

She admires her dedicated DST professors, who designed incredible courses, and says she benefited hugely from discussions with her cohort. “We talked a lot about narrative frameworks, and how being Deaf is perceived in our everyday society and the media,” she says. “It is difficult to be a strong storyteller creating a narrative shift if you do not understand all the factors in play. By understanding influences, and context, we are better positioned to build our narratives and shape our community in impactful and positive ways.” 

Laura Mauldin

Master’s in Deaf Studies in 2005

Professor

Writer and scholar Dr. Laura Mauldin credits her masters in Deaf Studies with introducing her to a new way of critically thinking and analyzing the world. “It’s wonderful and unique as an experience. There is literally nothing like it in the world,” she says.

Learning theories and critiques of the deaf experience, and disability experiences more broadly, allowed her to dive deep into research. “After I did my thesis on the experiences of deaf and queer individuals, and found that they had to resist medicalization and pathologization on multiple fronts, I realized I wanted to know more,” Mauldin says. 

DST faculty, including Drs. Dirksen Bauman and Ben Bahan, ‘79, encouraged her to continue her studies, and she obtained her PhD in Sociology from the City University of New York. Now she is a tenured professor in the Department of Social and Critical Inquiry at the University of Connecticut, where she studies ableism, the lack of support for caregivers, and the care crisis. Her 2016 book, Made to Hear, was on the consequences of cochlear implant technology, and she is currently working on her forthcoming book, You Are the One, to be released in early 2026. She is also a nationally certified sign language interpreter.

Mauldin believes Deaf Studies has to view itself not as being applicable to only a specific community, but be simultaneously specific and universal. “Understanding ableism, and the specific form of audism that it takes, has something to tell us about the world more broadly, about who we value and who we don’t, about how even in marginalized communities there are other forms of oppression co-occurring, shaping all of us uniquely,” she says. She poses key questions for the field to ponder: “What might people who have no interest in Deaf Studies per se get out of the scholarship and thinking in this field? How do we make our ideas portable?”

Mauldin has been profoundly changed because of the program and hopes others can be too. She maintains her connection to the university through friends and by sending her child to ASL Camp Discovery. “ It’s joyful for me to be able to share Gallaudet with her,” she adds.