“The UW program, called the Summer Academy for Advancing Deaf and Hard of Hearing in Computing, is the only one of its kind in the nation that offers a full quarter of academic credit to incoming college students or those who just finished their first year.
“It also gives deaf students a chance to explore an academic field they may not have already considered, said Richard Ladner, a UW professor of Computer Science & Engineering who started the academy six years ago.
“‘It has many facets and a richness that many programs don’t have,’ Ladner said. ‘It really opens up their worldview to what they can do’ …
“Google software engineer Anna Cavender helped with practically every aspect of the summer program its first several years while she was a UW doctoral student in Computer Science & Engineering. She has seen students forge lasting friendships and land highly competitive jobs through networking.
“‘The transition to college can be a little extra daunting for deaf and hard of hearing students,’ Cavender said. ‘This program helps students navigate the hurdles and introduces them to other students with similar backgrounds and interests.'”
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