Welcome to the Parent News newsletter! We are pleased to have you as part of the RIT/NTID family community and to share the news and updates about happenings within the RIT/NTID community. 
 
Students are off to a great start this semester. They have been navigating their academics, engaging with faculty and academic advisors, using campus resources, and making connections with friends by attending campus events and joining clubs and organizations. It’s exciting to see all the activity and engagement.

RIT/NTID offers a number of tutoring services for deaf and hard-of-hearing students, whether they’re taking classes at NTID or in RIT’s other eight colleges.

Students can choose tutors who have expertise in their major, are proficient in sign language, and work closely with the faculty teaching the courses. Encourage students to take advantage of tutoring to help ensure their academic success.

On September 1, the NTID Student Life Team hosted the Apple Festival, an annual campus festival that serves as a semester kick-off to welcome new and returning students, faculty, and staff and celebrate the start of the academic year.

RIT/NTID students enjoyed the opportunity to gather, experience a variety of Apple-themed food, participate in games and activities, and dance. RIT/NTID also provided campus club information on the tables where students met representatives and learned more about the variety of clubs, organizations, and departments from across RIT and NTID campuses.

Many students have signed up to participate in NTID Deaf Basketball Association as players, coaches, referees, and volunteers. DBA is a Deaf-led sports club, supported by NTID’s Athlete Development Program, that welcomes deaf, hard-of-hearing, and hearing students, faculty, staff, and alumni to socialize, have fun, and play basketball during the fall semester. 

In addition to DBA, NTID’s Athlete Development Program has launched a Deaf Kickball Association. Students, alumni, staff, and faculty have signed up to participate in this sports club. All games are livestreamed on YouTube.

On September 8, the NTID Student Life Team hosted a session of the True Biz Chat series titled “NTID Mentoring Network: Creating Connections That Last a Lifetime."

Students met with Loriann Macko, director of alumni relations, and Amelia Hamilton-Ketchum, assistant director of student-alumni mentoring, to learn how they can take advantage of RIT/NTID’s alumni network and how alums can help students navigate their experiences at RIT/NTID. 

Deaf Culture Night with the Rochester Red Wings on September 12 brought RIT/NTID students, faculty, staff, retirees, and community members together to cheer on Rochester’s Triple-A Minor League Baseball team and celebrate the Deaf culture at the ballpark. RIT President Bill Sanders and NTID President Caroline Solomon had the honor of throwing ceremonial first pitches prior to the Red Wings game against the Buffalo Bisons at Innovative Field.

The game featured ASL performances of both national anthem and “God Bless America,” a silent inning, and ASL interpreters available throughout the stadium. Red Wings players wore special game-day jerseys emblazoned with “Rochester” in fingerspelling handshapes, which were auctioned off after the game with proceeds donated by the Red Wings to NTID and Rochester School for the Deaf. 

This year, RIT has climbed to No. 88 from No. 91 among Top National Universities in the 2026 U.S. News and World Report rankings. According to the publication, RIT is ranked:

RIT will host the 37th Big Shot at Buffalo Bills Highmark Stadium on Saturday, October 11. RIT/NTID students, volunteers, and community members are invited to attend this event to shine a light on the interior of the stadium to document the iconic location before the Buffalo Bills move to a new stadium next year. 

The event is free, family-friendly, and open to the public, but registration is required to participate. Encourage students to attend this event, be a part of the photographic experience, and create lasting memories in the final year of the stadium.

The NTID Co-op and Career Center (NCCC) invites RIT/NTID students and graduates to the 2025 NTID Career Fair on Thursday, October 16, 2025, from 12:30 to 4:00 p.m.

This event is open to all deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT/NTID students, graduates, and alumni, as well as interpreting students and graduates. The career fair is a great opportunity to connect with potential employers for co-op, internship, or full-time opportunities.

Encourage your students to meet their NCCC employment advisor and create or update their resume and LinkedIn profile.

RIT/NTID invites students, parents and families, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members to celebrate RIT Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend October 17-19, 2025. 

Weekend events and activities include the RIT women’s hockey game at Gene Polisseni Center Thursday evening, an opening reception for three exhibitions at NTID’s Dyer Arts Center on Friday, RIT men’s hockey game at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, and more. Visit the Brick City Homecoming website to explore the full schedule of events. 

RIT/NTID will host a Parent Welcome Breakfast during Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend Saturday, October 18, inviting parents and family members of deaf, hard-of-hearing, and interpreting students to interact and connect with NTID staff members and learn more about NTID and resources available for students.

If you plan to attend RIT Brick City Homecoming next month, please join us for our Parent Welcome Breakfast on Saturday morning, October 18. Enjoy breakfast treats and coffee, and feel free to stay as long as you’d like before heading out to other Brick City Weekend events!

To stay in touch with other parents and up to date on current events, join our Facebook group for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing and interpreting students at RIT/NTID! More resources are available on the NTID Parents and Families page. Other resources also are available on the RIT Parents and Families page.

For any questions, feel free to reach out to Loriann Macko, Director of NTID Alumni and Constituent Relations, at Loriann.Macko@rit.edu.

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