Deaf Studies Today

OREM, Utah—Hundreds of deaf people flocked to Utah Valley State College to take part in the Deaf Studies Today conference on Tuesday. Professionals, students, and members of the deaf community came together to celebrate deaf culture.

The conference started today with an international film festival and will continue through Saturday evening. It will include over 50 presentations, live performances, and an art exhibit.

All American Sign Language classes at UVSC have been cancelled for students to attend the conference. Janette Toolson is a student majoring in deaf studies and must attend the conference as part of her grade.

“I am in upper division classes so I have to introduce some of the speakers,” she said.

Even though it was required for her classes to attend the conference this weekend, she attended the film festival today for her own enjoyment.

Sarah Hawks has been taking ASL classes since high school. She recently changed her major and was very excited to attend the conference this weekend.

“It’s amazing that I have the opportunity to go to this conference and take part in it,” she said.

The conference has many people from all over coming to present. Anthony Natale, an actor from “Mr. Holland’s Opus,” was the keynote speaker for the film festival. Other speakers include Dr. M.J. Bienvenu from Gallaudet University, Dr. Paddy Ladd from the University of Bristol, Ella Mae Lentz, and Samuel Kwesi Asare, the president of the National Association of the Deaf in Ghana.

The conference will teach about American Sign Language, colonialism, liberation and the world of deaf people. Not all of the presentations will have interpreters, but all of the keynote speakers will be interpreted from either sign to voice or voice to sign.

To attend the conference you must register either online or in person. The cost is $310 for professionals, $75 for students not from UVSC for limited enrollment and $125 for full registration.

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Sample opinion letter

For those of us that attend classes only in the computer science building having to walk to the cafeteria for food is difficult. There is no way to get food in between classes because it takes too long. It takes nearly ten minutes to get down to where the food is and then another ten minutes on average to get the food. After you get the food you have to run all the way up the stairs to get to class close to on time. Once in class you have to eat your food which can be very distracting to other students and the instructor. UVSC should have a cafe, similar to the one in the LA building, in the CS building. They would have a very large amount of money coming in. Also students will be healthier and happier in their studies. This will create better satisfaction with the school. UVSC should be doing anything in their power to create a good learning environment for their students. Currently many students in the CS building are hungry because they do not have access to healthy food in between classes. Even if the school had a cafe open for the lunch hours between noon and two it would be helpful to the students. When students have energy they can learn better.
Hungry

Stress

The worst part about stress is that it just builds and builds. This past weekend I felt as though all the stress that I had been carrying built up so much that I was not strong enough to support it. My answer I dropped it. I just decided that I couldn't allow stress and anxiety to run my life. I am going to do the best that I can and that will have to do. There is a certain point where you just have to throw in the towel. Life just gets worse as you go along unless you learn how to prioritize what is required of you. So my priorities have changed this semester. All I have to do is survive. Easier said than done. For a chronic perfectionist when it comes to grades simple doing the minimum is going to be so hard. If I don't I will collapse under the pressure. Somethings gotta give. So the highest priority in my life right now is to make sure that I get through this semester without totally losing my mind. The solution to stress if there is one is to live life one day at a time. If you are only focusing on one thing you can make it.