The iconic cubes sculpture in front of LBJ Hall stands proudly against the backdrop of a snowy day, capturing the essence of winter at RIT. The spring semester is racing by, and Rochester has experienced its usual mix of cold, mild, and surprisingly snowy days. Students are fully immersed in their studies and involved in a variety of activities. As we progress through the semester, we’re excited to share updates on some of the special events and initiatives taking place at RIT/NTID.

The NTID Student Life Team and RIT Title IX are teaming up once again to host Weekly Coffee Chats, open to all RIT/NTID students, faculty, and staff. These informal gatherings are a great way to connect, share ideas, and discuss a variety of topics. Hosted by Tim Albert, director of the NTID Student Life Team, and Amy Stornello, RIT/NTID Title IX deputy coordinator, the chats take place 2-3 p.m. every Monday in the CSD Student Development Center.  

“We want members of our community to meet each other and feel connected,” says Stornello, and these informal chat opportunities are one way to make that happen.”

Encourage your student to attend a session—or several! Here’s the lineup for the coming weeks: 

Mar 3 - Women's History Month with DOVES

Mar 10 - NO chat/RIT Spring Break

Mar 17 - St. Patrick's Day: History and more!

Mar 24 - Spring Equinox/Pagan Rituals

Mar 31 - TBA

April 7 - Sexual Assault Awareness Month with DeafIGNITE

April 14 - TBA

April 21 - Asian Awareness Month with NTID’s Asian Deaf Club

April 28 - Winding Down the Semester!

More than 100 students, faculty, and staff gathered on February 26 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of RIT/NTID’s Johnnie “JB” Brown Black History Month Luncheon. What began in the early 1990s as a simple sharing of lunch among a small group of faculty and staff has evolved into a community-wide event with guest speakers. This transformation is the result of the efforts of Johnnie “JB” Brown, a staff member who retired in 2020. You can learn more about the history of this beloved RIT/NTID community tradition from this downloadable PDF.

The guest speaker for this year’s event was RIT alum Anika Griffiths, an RIT alum from Miami who serves as the health coalitions program coordinator at CommonGround Health. She discussed health equity and performed a spoken word poem honoring Johnnie “JB” Brown’s legacy.

The 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has undergone significant updates to streamline the process for students and families. However, as with any major change, there have been some challenges during the rollout.  

While students can now submit their FAFSA, RIT will not begin receiving FAFSA data from the U.S. Department of Education until mid-March. This means financial aid offers for continuing students will be delayed until late spring.  

The RIT Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is committed to supporting students through this process. If your student has questions, encourage them to reach out to the office at (585) 475-2186 or visit the Financial Aid website for updates.

Encourage your students to mark their calendars for the Spring Career Fair on Wednesday, March 5, in the Gordon Field House. This event attracts a wide range of employers, from small tech firms to Fortune 500 companies. Students should bring their RIT Student ID for admission. For more information, visit the Career Connect website.

Spring Break is March 9-16. If your student is traveling, take time to discuss safety and health precautions. For students staying on campus, dining hours and locations will be updated on the RIT Dining website.

To stay connected with other parents and keep up with the latest news, join our Facebook group for parents of deaf and hard-of-hearing and interpreting students at RIT/NTID. Additional resources are available on the NTID Parents and Families page and RIT Parents and Families page.

Thank you for staying connected with RIT/NTID. Here’s to a successful and exciting spring semester!

Loriann Macko
SVP ’88, ’94 | She/Her/Hers
Director, NTID Alumni & Constituent Relations
National Technical Institute for the Deaf  
Rochester Institute of Technology
585-286-4579 | Loriann.Macko@rit.edu

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