practices - Gallaudet University

CAREER CHOICE -I was divorced and
a single mother – I went into education
so that I could be with my family more.
TEACHER - Mrs. Taylor, one of my
English teachers, who appreciated my
interest in reading, was my favorite
teacher.
FAVORITE BOOK - The Power of Positive
Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale—
very convincing and sensible…on how
to handle crises, both positive and
negative.
FIRST JOB - I was a supply clerk at a
wholesale drug store – an unpleasant
place, but I learned my work ethics
there.
24
Meet the National Mission Advisory Panel
Thomas
HOLCOMB
Professor,
Ohlone College
in Fremont,
California
FAMILY - I am
from a family of
educators. My
parents, brother, and I are all teachers.
My children talk about becoming
teachers, too.
ACCOMPLISHMENT - I am proud of
raising three children as a single parent,
earning my Ph.D., and establishing
myself as a college professor.
CAREER CHOICE - My parents
influenced me the most. I saw the
impact they had on the future
generations of deaf people and I wanted
to have the same influence.
TEACHER - Eric Malzkuhn and Linda
McCarty, two teachers in my high
school. They had high expectations and
were extremely creative in their teaching
approaches. They brought the best out
of me.
FAVORITE BOOK - I am currently
reading Angela’s Ashes by Frank
McCourt.
FIRST JOB - I was an admissions
counselor for Gallaudet University,
which required me to visit 140 schools
in two years.
Henry (Hank)
KLOPPING
Superintendent,
California School for
the Deaf in Fremont
FAMILY - Both my
wife and I are from
deaf families. We have
five children, two girls and
three boys and the last two boys are
twins. My oldest daughter is a college
graduate and works for a law firm as a
patent officer; my oldest son is a pilot in
the U.S. Air Force and recently married;
my youngest daughter works for a Yacht
Club; and the twins are college
freshmen. So we have two children at
college and two are living with us at
home. My wife, Bunny, is an American
Sign Language and Deaf Studies
professor at Ohlone College. Her father
was a graduate of Gallaudet, and her
sister and brother are professors at
Gallaudet.
ACCOMPLISHMENT - I’m in my
27th year here at CSD so I’ve seen
our school change and grow in
many ways. I’m very proud of
the fact that we have a school
with competent leaders who
care and who perform beyond
expectation. I’m proud of our
ability to marshal the efforts of the
deaf community, our parents, and our
school community so that we continue
to make it a strong, vibrant place.
CAREER CHOICE - I never intended to
go into education of the deaf, but after I
got my bachelor’s degree, I applied to
law school and worked for a school for
the deaf as a bus driver and a relief house
parent. I became challenged and
intrigued by the deaf kids that I came
into contact with. I had just assumed
that all deaf people were like my
parents. I soon realized that there were
challenges for some deaf people and
applied to graduate school and got the
necessary requirements to go into
education… and here I am today.
TEACHER - Mrs. Brierly, my high
school English teacher, insisted that I
write well and required me to do lots of
writing and research, things that
made it easier for me when I went
on to college because I had skills
that not a lot of other kids had.
FAVORITE BOOK - My favorite
book of all time is Atlas Shrugged by
Ayn Rand. The thing about that book
that always sticks with me is that it
stresses the importance of the individual
and the contribution that individuals
can make in making anything, whatever
it is, great.
FIRST JOB - I worked as a ditch digger
when I was 12 and 13, as a laborer for
my father’s construction business. When
I first started working for him, I earned
25 cents per hour and, boy, was I rich! I
think the thing that was stressed upon
me was no matter what it is that you are
doing, do the best job possible–dig the
best ditch, mix the best concrete–but do
the best job possible.
Ronald LANIER
Director, Department for the
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
in Richmond, Virginia
FAMILY - I am hard of
hearing and my wife is
hearing. We have a son
who is a 1998 graduate of
the Model Secondary School
for the Deaf.
ACCOMPLISHMENT - I guided the
agency through a difficult period. We
are coming out of this period with
strengthened community relations and a
unified staff.
CAREER CHOICE - Growing up, I
experienced my share of challenges that
directly related to having a hearing loss.
I vowed that no one should experience
such prejudice, ridicule, and
embarrassment. I finally faced the
demon called “denial” and discovered
that education was the key.
TEACHER - My fourth and fifth grade
teacher, Reba Canaday, treated everyone
the same and included all of us in the
learning process. She was energetic and
made learning fun.
ODYSSEY WINTER 2002