A Place to Succeed
Meet a few of the students, alumni, faculty and staff who have found success at RIT/NTID.
Jamie Garver
Take RIT’s career-oriented college programs, add the uniqueness of NTID, mix with water, and you get Jamie Garver.
The second-year American Sign Language-English Interpretation (ASLIE) student and middle-distance swimmer for the Women’s Swimming Team came to RIT from Trenton, Maine, to major in Computer Science.
“My first year at RIT, my roommate was an interpreting major,” recalls Jamie. “She introduced me to her friends, and I decided I wanted to take an ASL class. I loved it! Then I researched the field of interpreting and realized that it was what I really wanted to do, so I switched majors.”
With a concentration in Criminal Justice, Jamie plans to finish NTID’s associate degree program in interpreting and continue on to the bachelor’s degree program.
“I hope to someday interpret in court and other legal settings,” says Jamie. “I know it’s a highly specialized and demanding area of interpreting. It will take some time and education, but I have good teachers, and I am motivated to do my best.”
Swimming competitively since she was 8 years old, Jamie says that the sport has helped her learn how to set goals and achieve them.
“Balancing school, swimming and spending time with my friends is sometimes very challenging,” says Jamie. “Whenever I have a lot to do, I make sure that I leave enough time to get everything done. Swimming also lets me think about things, and it gives me an outlet for any frustrations I may have.”
Since her switch from Computer Science to Interpreting, Jamie twice has earned a place on the Dean’s List. The change has been a good one for her, she says.
“Some young adults are afraid to make changes,” Jamie says. “If I had been afraid to change my major to interpreting, I may not be doing as well as I am now.”
From the Spring/Summer 2005 issue of FOCUS magazine