Sometimes big projects begin in very small ways ... like with two cents. That was all Andrea Shettle had when she started a scholarship fund last year to help educate potential deaf leaders from developing nations at Gallaudet.
Today, the International Deaf Education and Advancement Fund (I-DEAF) is dollars and cents away from its $10,000 goal, which it must raise to get matching funds from a government grant. At that time, interest from the fund will go toward scholarships to deserving students from developing nations.
Shettle's dream began in April 1991 when she was an undergraduate English honors student at Galaudet. "I was sparked to action in part by the World Federation of the Deaf (WFD) distressing 1991 report that 80 percent of deaf people in developing nations have no access to education whatsoever. The rest are lucky to get through primary school," she said.
In addition, deaf people born in many developing nations are treated almost as non-persons, beings denied the most basic human rights, said Shettle.
With the help of the University's Development Office, Shettle initiated I-DEAF to educate deaf students from developing nations with the hopes that they will return to their homes as leaders and work for positive change in their communities.
To be considered for a scholarship, students must plan to work in their home country after graduation to advance educational and social rights for deaf citizens. In addition, they must demonstrate financial need, and be deaf or hard of hearing. They may be graduate or undergraduate students, but those with an education or social work major will be considered top candidates.
"Andrea has worked really hard to make this happen," said Chris Krentz of the Development Office. "She's had white elephant and bake sales, set out contribution jars, and motivated others to help raise money for the fund."
Dr. Yerker Andersson, WFD president and Gallaudet sociology professor, applauds Shettle's efforts. He believes that deaf people in industrialized nations need to help deaf people in developing nations "to find ways to improve the quality of life among deaf people in their countries. The I-DEAF is a good example of such efforts."
Dr. Harlan Lane, author of When the Mind Hears and a distinguished professor at Northeastern University, said that it "is long past time" for America to "extend a helping hand to deaf people in the Third World."
"Even the smallest gift helps," Shettle said, "because there is a 'ripple effect'. You help one student, and this student will go home and help maybe hundreds of others. Help a dozen students get through college, and you've just helped turn around a whole community."
Donations to the I-DEAF fund may be mailed to the Development Office.
This article was originally printed in On the Green, a staff and faculty newsletter at Gallaudet University, on August 10, 1992. It is posted with permission.
See I-DEAF Recipient Has Ambitious Plans, a March 14, 1994 On the Green article about Maurice Ssenyoga, the first I-DEAF recipient.
Return to the I-DEAF homepage.
Retrun to Andrea Shettle's resume.
Return to Andrea Shettle's homepage.
This page was last updated on 28 May 2002 by Andrea Shettle.