Skylar Sumrell is majoring in Deaf Education (IDEAS). The Clemmons, N.C., native expects to graduate this spring.
Why Did you Choose UNCG?
UNCG houses the only d/Deaf education program in the state of North Carolina, and often produces teachers who go on to work for the state’s two Deaf schools: North Carolina School for the Deaf and Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf.
What is your favorite place on campus?
My favorite place on campus is the Teaching Resources Center. Every time I need a place to rest between classes, materials for a lesson plan, or somewhere quiet to study, it’s where you’ll find me.
What activities and organizations are you involved in on campus?
Deaf and Hearing College Connection (DHCC), Alpha Lambda Delta member, Spartan Education Scholars, and I am a graduate of the Ashby Residential College program.
What experience at UNCG has had the most significant impact on you?
In my Intro to Deaf Education class (SES 251), taught by Glenda Torres. I was able to use tactile ASL with a Deafblind person for the first time. It was in this class that I realized I have a soft spot for the Deafblind community. I realized that maybe my calling wasn’t just to Deaf students, but to Deafblind students as well.
What has been your favorite class and why?
My favorite class overall was my American Sign Language: English Translation class (SES 305). In this class, we were able to play around with word choices when making translations, teach/interpret small lessons, and even perform songs we translated to Deaf individuals.
What are your career goals?
Throughout my career, I aspire to teach at schools for the Deaf, become a National Board Certified teacher, earn a master’s degree, and develop instructional practices to further my field.
What made you want to choose a career in This Field?
At age 13, I was diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss and began learning American Sign Language soon after. During my senior year of high school, I held an internship at a local elementary school with a site-based program for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. On my first day, I walked into that classroom and immediately felt an overwhelming sense of belonging. I wasn’t “different” anymore, I was just me. Here, I fell in love with the joy of a d/Deaf child’s laugh. It was the purest and most unfiltered expression of emotion I had ever experienced. I often describe the feeling as “being hit in the face by a brick,” and an unignorable sign of my life’s calling. The following year, I started at UNCG in the Interpreting, Deaf Education, and Advocacy Services (IDEAS) program. This year, I am a senior and will take my edTPA to become a licensed teacher of the deaf.
What advice would you give a student considering UNCG and the School of Education?
No matter how hard life gets, never give up. There have been many times in college when I have wanted to just quit, and every time I persevered, it was worth it. I am now a senior, soon to graduate with my teaching license. Trust me, it’s worth it.
How Has the Spartan Education Scholars Program Impacted Your Experience at UNCG?
I began at UNCG in 2022 as a Teacher Education Fellow (now Spartan Education Scholars). I have had invaluable experiences in this program that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. My early internships helped me gain more real-life classroom experience and overall confidence. As a freshman, I was given a mentor to help me navigate my college experience and gain a lifelong friendship. I was able to meet and interact with teachers from other countries, comparing our experiences in the education world. And my favorite by far, I have been able to help plan and volunteer for the annual UNCG Homecoming Children’s Festival.
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