Gallaudet University Celebrates Inauguration of President T. Alan Hurwitz

Washington, DC – T. Alan Hurwitz will be inaugurated Gallaudet University’s tenth president Wednesday, May 12, 2010,  at 3:30 p.m. in the university’s Field House. 

Appointed by the Gallaudet University Board of Trustees in October 2009, Dr. Hurwitz assumed his official duties as president on January first of this year.

Before coming to Gallaudet Dr. Hurwitz had a long and distinguished career at the Rochester Institute of Technology [RIT], most recently as a dean and vice president of that institution, as well as president of the National Technical Institute of the Deaf (NTID), one of RIT’s eight colleges.

Since taking office in January Dr. Hurwitz has focused his attention on implementing the Gallaudet Strategic Plan that was developed over an eighteen-month period by campus administrators, faculty, staff and trustees.  The ultimate goals of the five-year plan are to make certain that Gallaudet graduates leave the university with the knowledge and practical skills vital to achieving personal and professional success in today’s  complex world, and to ensure that the university is recognized the world over as the leading resource for research, innovation, and outreach related to deaf and hard of hearing people.

Gallaudet, chartered in 1864, is the nation's premiere liberal arts university for deaf and hard of hearing students.

The Inauguration of Dr. Hurwitz is open to the public and members of the media are welcome to cover the event.

Contact: Mercy Coogan  mercy.coogan@gallaudet.edu, 202.403.9916