New center will promote education for deaf people in Panama

At a ceremony held November 2 in the SLCC Atrium, President Hurwitz and the Ambassador for the Republic of Panama to the United States, His Excellency Mario Jaramillo, co-signed a memorandum of understanding [MOU] to develop an academic alliance that will lead to the establishment of a center in Panama to promote a broad range of educational services for that nation’s deaf and hard of hearing citizens, as well as those living in other Latin American countries.

To be located in the nation’s capital of Panama City, the new Gallaudet University Center of Panama will offer a variety of programs and services aimed at providing greater access to higher education to the region’s deaf and hard of hearing students. Securing funding for the center and its programs will be the responsibility of public and private sources established by the Government of Panama. Gallaudet will supply technical and administrative expertise and student interns.

“Gallaudet welcomes this opportunity to partner with the Republic of Panama in the creation of this new center,” said Hurwitz. “We look forward to working with other universities and educational institutions throughout Panama to help greater numbers deaf and hard of hearing Latin Americans obtain higher education degrees.”

Jaramillo and Hurwitz were joined at the MOU ceremony by Representative Diego Lombana, the only deaf member of the Panamanian National Assembly, other representatives from the Panamanian Embassy, and many Gallaudet students, faculty and staff from Panama and other Latin American countries.

“Improving the education and quality of life for deaf and hard of hearing people in Panama and Latin American is a long-time dream of mine and I am so happy this is coming true,” said Jaramillo.