World Languages

The American Sign Language Program has been rated ninth out of the Top Ten best affordable sign language programs in the country by Affordableschools.net  In the survey by Affordableschools.net, programs were rated for: cost of attendance, student-to-faculty ratio, and high graduation rates. For more information, see

https://affordableschools.net/bachelors-american-sign-language/

After graduating from the American Sign Language/English Interpreting concentration in 2021, Emily Pacheco immediately began pursuing state-level interpreting credentials while holding a job at Perspectives Corp. in Rhode Island as Interpreter Coordinator. She became an approved state-screened interpreter by fall of the same year, which allowed her to become licensed to work in the state of RI.  Unlike most newly-minted interpreters who attempt national interpreter certification after working for several years, Emily attempted the National Interpreter Certification exam within 3 months  Her exemplary skills are partly due to her life-long exposure to American Sign Language as a child of Deaf parents. During her time at FSU, Emily took a semester abroad at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Scotland, where she was bitten by the research bug. Upon graduating from FSU, Emily began investigating graduate programs with a goal of undertaking research related to interpreting. She was accepted as a graduate student at Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia where she is beginning her studies this spring. She received a scholarship from the Demers Foreign Language Fellowship Program of the Rhode Island Foundation and an additional generous scholarship from the American Australian Association Graduate Education Fund which is covering all her expenses. Her research interests include the concept of language and culture brokering as performed by children of Deaf adults, with an emphasis on the brokering carried out by children whose Deaf parents have immigrated from elsewhere.We couldn’t be more proud of this alumna! 

Sigma Delta Pi, the National Collegiate Hispanic Honor Society, is a non-profit organization incorporated in the State of South Carolina, a member of the Association of College Honor Societies. SDP partners with the American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese and the North American Academy of the Spanish Language. It was founded at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1919. With over 600 chapters nationwide, SDP is a greatly respected and valued honor society. See the official website:  https://sigmadeltapi.org. Active community and campus engagement are vital components of SDP. FSU's organization is involved in celebrating and promoting Hispanic works of literature and cultures across campus at FSU as well as in the Framingham area. Activities and events on campus include Spanish conversation events, cooking events, film nights, and more. In addition, students use their Spanish skills to help and impact the local community. Some of the most notable student benefits of membership are the opportunity for national awards, grants, and scholarships, which can facilitate study abroad programs and provide money for graduate research grants.  

For more information about FSU’s chapter of Sigma Delta Pi, contact Dr. Joanne Britland at jbritland@frami.ngham.edu.