Dr. Keith Cagle honored with 2015 ASLTA George Veditz award

Dr. Keith Cagle, associate professor and Bachelor of Arts in Interpretation (BAI) program coordinator, was honored with the American Sign Language Teachers Association’s (ASLTA) George Veditz award for 2015 during its 8th Biennial Conference in Minneapolis, Minn. ASLTA is a national professional organization of American Sign Language and deaf studies teachers. Cagle has a long history of service to ASLTA, including two terms as president, and as chair of the ASLTA Evaluation and Certification system, which he served from 2000 to 2015.

Cagle presented the very first George Veditz award in 1984 to Ken Mikos, ’68 & ’70, Ella Lentz, ’76, and Cheri Smith when he was president. Cagle has also served as ASLTA vice president and secretary-treasurer, North Carolina ASLTA vice-president, and was founder of the Lilac Chapter of ASLTA in Rochester, N.Y.

The award is given in recognition of Veditz, 1884 & G-1887, a renowned educator of American Sign Language. Veditz worked vigorously to advocate ASL, to preserve ASL through film, and to end discrimination of the deaf community, especially in the workforce. ASLTA’s mission is to perpetuate, preserve, and promote American Sign Language (ASL) and Deaf Culture through excellence in teaching. This includes teaching ASL as a heritage or first language, as a second language, and as part of deaf studies.

“I truly feel honored by this award. It is the highest honor to be presented by ASLTA,” said Cagle.

As Evaluation and Certification chair, Cagle implemented the utilization of current videophone technology to evaluate candidates for certification from remote locations, saving candidates the expense of traveling to national conferences in order to become certified at the professional level. In June, Cagle turned over his duties as chair to Amy June Rowley,’97.

“For his long history of service to ASLTA, Dr. Cagle richly deserves the most prestigious award our organization bestows,” said Dr. Bill Newell, current treasurer of ASLTA. Newell has worked with Cagle in ASLTA since 1986.

Gallaudet University Provost Carol J. Erting shared this congratulatory statement: “We are honored that Cagle has chosen to be part of the Gallaudet faculty and has continued his important work here. The impact Cagle has had and will continue to have is profound.  He is a role model for all of us, not only because of the good work he does, but also because he carries out that work with humility and respect for all.”