October has been a busy month filled with campus-wide events and activities, including the installation of NTID’s new president, Deaf culture awareness events, the NTID Career Fair, Brick City homecoming weekend, and more.

On October 10, Dr. Caroline Solomon was officially installed as NTID’s first woman president during a ceremony in Parana Theater in Lyndon Barnes Johnson Hall. In her remarks, Solomon shared that her appointment goes far beyond her own leadership journey:

“It’s about every student who wonders if they can lead in spaces where they have never seen themselves reflected,” she said. “Your voice—whether it’s signed, spoken, written, or felt—matters deeply. Your perspective is needed. And your future is limitless."

A renowned scientist and researcher who began her tenure as a president at NTID on August 18, Solomon is committed to supporting the student community, driving innovation, and helping define the future of Deaf education. She has a vision for the future of NTID:

“NTID must be more than a place where knowledge is transferred,” said Solomon, who also serves as vice president of RIT. “It must be a space where students grow as a whole person and learn to embrace civil discourse. We will deepen our partnerships beyond the walls of this campus because our impact must extend into our communities, both here and around the world.”

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RIT/NTID partnered with Rochester School for the Deaf; People, Inc.; Seneca Park Zoo; and Aquarium of Niagara on Deaf culture awareness events to raise awareness and promote accessibility in Rochester and the Buffalo/Niagara region. RIT/NTID students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members explored immersive exhibits, educational opportunities and accessible programming during the events.

At Seneca Park Zoo, visitors enjoyed animal presentations and ASL-interpreted story time sessions, interacted with the zoo’s Nature Cart and received seasonal gardening tips from the zoo’s naturalist team. Families also participated in a fall-themed scavenger hunt, which featured scarecrows and fairy house doors throughout the zoo grounds.

Visitors to Aquarium of Niagara enjoyed ASL-interpreted presentations, animal feedings, guided tours, and story times. Mark Sommer, director of NTID Regional STEM Center, showed children how to sign the names of specific animals and fish.

Students from RIT/NTID’s ASL interpreting program provided pro-bono interpreting services throughout the zoo and aquarium. 

On October 11, thousands of students and community members attended RIT’s 37th Big Shot to commemorate the Buffalo Bills’ farewell season at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York. Attendees had the opportunity to enjoy the photographic experience by using flashlights to shine a light on the interior of the historic stadium as the RIT’s Big Shot camera team captured images.

Eric Kunsman, assistant professor in NTID’s department of visual communications studies and co-coordinator of the Big Shot, said the support from the regional community – including students and community volunteers – was the major reason for the event’s success.

“Whether people came out because they love photography, the Bills, or both, the fact that we had thousands of people working together to create one photo is a powerful experience,” Kunsman said. “When people see the photo online or in the new stadium, they can point to where they stood or where they pointed their flashlight to help create the image. It’s an incredible memory for everyone involved.”

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On October 16, more than 20 companies came to the RIT/NTID campus to recruit talented deaf and hard-of-hearing RIT/NTID students, graduates, and alumni as well as ASLIE students and graduates seeking co-op, internship, and full-time job opportunities. Attendees had the chance to meet, connect, and engage with employers during the NTID Career Fair, hosted by the NTID Co-op and Career Center.

Parents can encourage their students to continue to update their resume and LinkedIn profile and stay connected with NCCC employment advisors for assistance with job search strategies and resources. 

RIT Brick City Homecoming and Family Weekend was a tremendous success, drawing thousands of students, alumni, faculty, staff, families, and community members from all over to gather on campus and enjoy a variety of exciting weekend events October 17-19.

Weekend events featured the Brick City 5K, entertainment by comedian Craig Robinson, a presentation by Dan Povenmire, the Emmy-winning co-creator of Disney's Phineas and Ferb, an RIT Women’s Hockey game, and the RIT Men’s Hockey game at Blue Cross Arena. NTID-hosted activities included a Parent Welcome Breakfast, opening reception for three exhibitions in NTID’s Dyer Arts Center, and an alumni tailgate gathering before the RIT men’s hockey game in downtown Rochester.

On October 24, the RIT Division of Access, Engagement, and Success held Together RIT: A Day of Dialogue, an annual event that invited all members of the RIT community to attend educational sessions and engage in intentional and honest conversations about various challenging issues. This event featured a student panel, concurrent sessions throughout, and a closing alumni panel. 

The theme this year was “Caste, Rank and Socioeconomic Diversity.” Since its launch in 2022, Together RIT has offered students, faculty, staff, and alumni the opportunity to share their work, passions, ideas, informed critiques, initiatives, performances, and artistic projects.

RIT/NTID student-athletes, staff, and faculty will travel to Tokyo, Japan, to participate in the 2025 Deaflympics with elite deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes from all over the world November 15-26. 

The participating RIT/NTID-affiliated participants are: 

Antoine Phillips (wrestling): Phillips is a second-year RIT/NTID student majoring in criminal justice and a member of the RIT’s wrestling team. 

Dov Nathanson (wrestling): Nathanson is a second-year student majoring in aerospace engineering and a cross-registered senator for RIT Student Government. He was a member of the 2023 World Deaf Wrestling team and won the gold medal at the Deaf World Wrestling Championship. 

Zain Shahid (volleyball): Shahid is a fourth-year student majoring in exercise science. He is a member of the USA Men’s Deaf Indoor Volleyball team, which won a silver medal at the USA Volleyball National Championships in May 2025.

John Macko (volleyball): Macko ’91, ’98, director of NTID Co-op and Career Center, serves as a head coach for the USA men’s volleyball team. He was a former member of the USA men’s volleyball team and competed in the PanAm Games, World Championships, and Deaflympics in Russia, Bulgaria, Denmark, Italy, New Zealand, and Venezuela. He also won the silver medal in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

Skip Flanagan (mental performance coach): Flanagan ’16 (psychology) is a visiting assistant professor in NTID’s department of science and mathematics.  He was a former student-athlete and a member of the RIT men’s baseball team. Flanagan is now a member of the USA performance psychology team for the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics. 

RIT/NTID is partnering with the Rochester Museum and Science Center for Deaf Culture Day on Saturday, November 8, 2025. This event will feature science experiments, shocking displays in the Electric Theater, star shows, and so much more.

This event is open to the public. Students from RIT/NTID’s sign language interpreting program will provide interpreting services throughout the museum.

For students interested in securing their on-campus housing for the next academic year, they must participate in the housing renewals process to renew their current RIT housing for the 2026-2027 academic year. The renewal process runs October 27 through November 2, 2025. 

Students who live in the RIT Inn, 175 Jefferson, Perkins Green, Riverknoll, or University Commons this year are eligible to participate in the housing renewal process. Students who decide not to renew their current space or miss the opportunity to renew for 2026-2027, may still participate in room selection, which runs February 9 through March 6, 2026. 

Visit the RIT Housing website for more information about housing renewal.

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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