Loud and Clear
Deaf Interns Prove Boon to NIH Programs
By Rich McManus
A woman walks up to a police officer and, obviously agitated, begins pounding her foot and gesturing wildly. Provoked by the display, the officer automatically prepares to fend off a possible assault.
Fair enough scenario in this day and age, when cops have to be ready for violence from any quarter. But an NIH police officer who had had the benefit of Michelle Moroc's counsel might recognize such an incident not as a personal threat but as a plea for attention by a deaf person in need of assistance.
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DPS Director Jim Sweat presents certificate to intern Michelle Moroc as interpreter Mark Langer looks on. |
Such was one of the insights Moroc gave to NIH's Division of Public Safety, where her 8-week summer internship ended recently. "You've given us more than we've given you," noted DPS Director Jim Sweat, who presented Moroc, an intern from Gallaudet University, a certificate of appreciation on Aug. 9.
Moroc was a participant in the Gallaudet Voluntary Intern Program, an agreement that began last January when 12 interns from the Washington, D.C., school came to NIH to work in biology, technology transfer, communications, administration, computer technology and grants management. Some of these interns continued as paid NIH summer employees. In all, 13 Gallaudet interns were placed during the summer.
The program, a collaborative effort of the Office of the Director Equal Employment Opportunity office and Gallaudet, involved many ICDs.
"The first supervisors in the program were truly pioneers," said Hilda Dixon, who serves as the NIH coordinator for this exchange. "Most did not have any skill in communicating with and supervising deaf employees, but they were innovative and resourceful in their approach to assigning the interns."
Indeed, interest in the program is growing as more NIH offices have good experiences with the youngsters.
Moroc made converts of any skeptics at each DPS branch she visited -- all were impressed with her friendly attitude and hunger for actual work. Accompanied by sign language interpreter Mark Langer (an EEO employee whom Sweat also honored for his excellent work), she went on shifts with officers from the Police Branch, joined K9 teams on training missions, learned how to cut keys with locksmiths in the Crime Prevention Branch, participated in building security surveys, accompanied officers to U.S. District Court in Hyattsville (to accommodate her interest in legal matters -- a government major, she is minoring in criminology and may seek a career in law), learned basic techniques of criminal investigation, and constantly made DPS supervisors aware of the needs of the 50-some deaf employees at NIH.
| Moroc and Langer are flanked by DPS supervisors (from l) Lt. Will Liston, Richard Shaff and Jim Sweat. |
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"She was very inventive with ways of communicating with us," noted Richard Shaff, chief of the Emergency Branch. Moroc convinced him of the need to supply interpreters for the upcoming Fire Prevention Week activities on campus. "I think we'd all hire her in a minute."
Shaff, who demonstrated a pager system for hearing-impaired employees that uses a vibrating pager and alphanumeric display to alert employees when there is an emergency on campus ("Not even Gallaudet has this," noted Sweat), learned from Moroc the importance of enlisting the support not only of deaf employees but also their supervisors when creating inclusive emergency plans.
"She was very flexible," added Sandy Miller, administrative officer for the division, who helped coordinate Moroc's 2-week stints with each DPS branch.
"She asked us to give her some real work to do," said Lt. Will Liston, day shift supervisor for the Police Branch. Among Moroc's suggestions was that firearms training -- conducted on a computerized simulation of dangerous scenarios -- include people with disabilities. "That's an excellent idea," Liston said.
Moroc returns this fall to Gallaudet, where she must draft a paper on her NIH internship.
"For the interns, this participation is an integral part of their college curriculum," said Dixon. "Many Gallaudet areas of study require an internship in order to graduate. The interns learn the thrill of becoming part of the work environment and how different it can be to implement information learned in the classroom."
Last spring, NIH deputy director Dr. Ruth Kirschstein attended a gathering of interns and supervisors. The Gallaudet program coordinators also attended so that all participants could give their reactions to the program. NIH supervisors were unanimous in their support of and praise for interns. In addition, many supervisors emphasized the need for sign language training. The OD EEO office responded by sponsoring two sessions of basic sign language training conducted by a Gallaudet intern; there were more than 90 requests to participate.
The NIH ICDs have demonstrated their commitment to the success of this program by identifying challenging assignments for the interns. "Gallaudet has been very pleased with the results of our participation," noted Dixon. In April, NIH was recognized by Gallaudet as its honored employer at the annual spring luncheon of the National Capital Association for Cooperative Education.
NIH is now making plans for fall intern placements. If you are interested in participating in the Gallaudet Voluntary Intern Program, have your ICD EEO or personnel office contact the OD EEO office at 2-4157.
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