9-month PAID Mentoring Program

Apply by Friday, March 18, 2016

Program Dates: August 3, 2016 to May 19, 2017

This 9-month program includes:

  • A generous weekly stipend
  • Housing On-campus
  • Health Insurance
  • Overnight on-call duties working with DPS
  • Skills labs focusing on specific topics
  • Campus interpreting and on-the-job coaching
  • Teamed assignments
  • Mentoring sessions focused on skill-building
  • Free workshops and opportunities to earn CEUs
 Two GIS interpreters sitting outside in front of a playground with a microphone. Parents and children stand behind them slightly out of focus.

GIS interpreter signing FOREVER. Interpreter is black with short hair and a light grey suit. Interpreter is centered in the image and behind her is the US Capitol building slightly out of focus.

 GIS Interpreter signing HERE.

This program capitalizes on the unique opportunities in the District of Columbia to offer a program that incorporates both structured skill development activities and personal mentoring. Program participants will be paired with mentors in their on-campus jobs that will focus on interpreting expertise.

  • Opportunities on campus are the heart of this program, providing a rich and diverse interpreting experience
  • Development of interpreting competency primarily happens through work on campus in both ASL and Spoken English
  • Mentors support skill development and work with visiting interpreters to identify areas to target for improvement
  • Training and practice additionally includes Gallaudet Department of Public Safety (DPS) training and serving on rotation as first responders in the overnight emergency on-call team. Visiting interpreters may have opportunities to interpret for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and DPS officers on the Gallaudet campus

Selected participants come to DC from August 2016 to May 2017 (specific dates to be determined after selection into the program) and spend 40-hours a week working at GIS.  In August, interpreters are provided with GIS orientation and foundational interpreter training.

This rigorous and challenging environment will allow you to work daily with other interpreters in a collaborative and stimulating work environment while honing your professional competence.

Eligibility Requirements:

  • National Certification (RID or EIPA 4.0+)
  • Minimum 3 years work experience
  • Completion of online application and application video

Complete your application today!

Frequently Asked Questions  

Does it cost to attend?

  • No. This program is a PAID mentoring experience on the Gallaudet University campus. Mentees receive generous weekly stipends between $700 and $900 per week for working full-time at GIS (Monday through Friday 8am - 5pm).
 What should I expect if I am selected?
  • Challenge leading to noticeable improvement - we are about RESULTS!
  • Training and orientation in August (all day training sessions)
  • Extensive diagnostic skills assessment
  • Ongoing training, workshops, observations, role play, discussion groups and mentoring sessions
  • Valuable work experiences both on and off campus
  • Personal mentors and individual mentoring sessions as well as teamed assignments
 How do I apply, and what is required?
  • Scroll down to view the application section
  • The application will ask you questions about yourself, you interpreting experience, your skill development goals, your desires related to mentorship and for a copy of your resume
  • After you complete the online application, you will be sent information on how to complete the video portion of your application.
 What are the program dates?
  • The program begins August 3, 2016 and ends May 19, 2017. Time off can be requested during the year, and we strongly encourage visiting interpreters to plan trips home during the semester breaks (Thanksgiving week, Christmas Break, and Spring Break).

What is the application deadline?
  • A completed online application is due on Friday, March 18, 2016 11:59pm EST. 
  • Candidates must complete and submit video applications by Friday, April 1, 2016 11:59pm EST.
  • Finalists will be interviewed on a rolling basis until April 29th.
  • Candidate selections announced early in June 2016.
  • If your application arrives after the deadline your application will not be considered.
 Where would I live?
  • Visiting interpreters have access to on-campus housing during their time at GIS due to overnight on-call shifts providing interpreting services to DPS. Interpreters in the ASL to English program are expected to live on-campus to cover their on-call shifts.
  • If you prefer off-campus housing you must live within 10 minutes of campus for DPS on-call duties.
Why are you no longer offering a Legal track?
  • Our renowned legal mentorship track is on hiatus for 2016-2017.  However, you are encouraged to subscribe to Professional Development Committee to receive announcements about training for interpreting in legal settings and other topics offered by Gallaudet Interpreting Service.  This year, instead of the legal track, the GIS Mentoring Team is offering a robust ASL-English track.
What is the structural support for this program?
  • This program is an investment from GIS in advancing the skills of professional, working interpreters nationwide
  • The Results! Mentoring Program is supported by the Results! Mentoring Team. This team is comprised of the GIS Mentoring Program Lead and 4 GIS Mentoring Coordinators.
  • Support also comes from certified and experienced interpreters/interpreter mentors.  These mentors are trained GIS staff and freelance interpreters who provide direct mentoring to individual mentees.
 Why do I have to be certified to apply to the ASL to Spoken English Mentorship Program?
  • The purpose of this program is to prepare you to work with Deaf professionals in local, regional, and national settings.  Interpreters must already possess a high degree of skill and proficiency in both ASL and English and be ready to engage in rigorous assignments (both on the job and during mentoring) that will challenge and polish their interpreting ability.
  • GIS does address the needs of student interpreters through another program, the Results! MAI Mentoring program. In this program, trained GIS mentors provide individualized mentoring and work experiences for students in the Gallaudet Masters of Interpretation (MAI) academic program.
What does the moratorium by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) mean for RVI mentees?
  • The moratorium only affects those who are not yet RID certified. Application to the ASL -English track requires RID certification (including those with scores of 4.0 or above on the EIPA) prior to application submission.
How many applications do you receive, and how many interpreters do you select into each cohort?
  • Our application pool varies from year to year, depending on the numbers and types of cohorts we support. Our applicant pool also grows as word spreads about our program. Generally, we receive between 50-100 applications per year.
  • The numbers of interpreters selected per cohort also varies, and depends on multiple factors including the skill sets of applicants, and the feasibility of mentor matching for each mentee. In the past, we have had from 2-6 mentees in each cohort.
  • For the 2016/17 academic year, we expect to invite up to 5 Visiting Interpreters.
 Why don't you offer a shorter program?
  • We are about RESULTS!, and we know from experience that a shorter program does not allow sufficient time for new skills to be fully internalized. For that reason, we do not offer a summer, or a half semester program.
  • We do provide some flexibility around vacation schedules and have a procedure for requesting days off.  Visiting interpreters with limited responsibilities 'back home' may find this flexibility sufficient so that they can still participate in the program.
 Can I participate in this program through distance learning?
  •  No. Unfortunately our program design requires on site participation.  
 What can I expect while working at Gallaudet?  
  • Working on the Gallaudet University campus looks different every day.  The variety of courses that are interpreted range from undergraduate to PhD level courses.  Many classes are interpreted into English and several are also captioned from the interpretation. There are also opportunities to work from English to ASL in student internships or sponsored events on campus.  Gallaudet interpreters work with a diverse group of Deaf professionals and students.  In addition, the Gallaudet campus houses the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center where interpreters occasionally work at open houses, IEP meetings, and with emerging signers. 
 What will a typical day involve?  
  • A typical day involves interpreting teamed assignments on the Gallaudet Campus. Mentoring sessions also happen throughout the week, as well as study groups, observations, and time to prepare for assignments.  All assignments and meetings are scheduled through a database managed by the GIS scheduling team.  
  • Interpreters are expected to be on-campus from 8am-5pm during the week as scheduling needs change quickly.  
  • Interpreters usually have some down-time during the day to work on skill-building activities, prepare for classes, and respond to email.  Visiting interpreters will be assigned office space in order to complete these tasks. 
 If I am not selected this year, can I reapply again next year?
  • Certainly!

 

Application

Please complete the following application to be considered for the ASL to English Mentorship program at Gallaudet.  You will need to answer all of the questions and upload a resume of your professional work experience.

The application will automatically save your responses to your computer in a temporary internet file for 2 days.  If your browser closes or shuts down for any reason, simply open this page again and your responses will re-populate.  However, you have to use the same computer in order to view your responses.

Upon completion of your application, you will be sent an email verifying your information and giving you a link with instructions on how to complete the video portion of the application. If you have any questions, please contact the Results! Mentoring Program office at 202.250.2940 (VP) or by email at gis.mentoring@gallaudet.edu

Dates
  • A completed online application is due on Friday, March 18, 2016 11:59pm EST. 
  • Candidates must complete and submit video applications by Friday, April 1, 2016 11:59pm EST.
  • Finalists will be interviewed on a rolling basis until April 29th, 2016.
  • Candidate selections announced early in June 2016.