Welcome to the June 16, 2023 issue of Hi5! We have much to report, so let’s get on with it!
1

On Saturday, July 22, there will be a graduation ceremony to honor the 23 Black Deaf students and four Black teachers of Kendall School Division II for Negroes, the segregated school for Black Deaf students on Gallaudet’s campus from 1952 to 1954. At this ceremony, students and their descendants will receive high school diplomas conferred by the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center. More information will follow.

2

Alumni Scott Lehmann and Shayna Unger reached the 29,032-foot summit of Mount Everest on May 21. The next day, they summited Lhotse, the fourth tallest peak in the world. Lehmann is believed to be the third deaf man to summit Everest, and Unger is the first deaf woman to do so.

Their elation was tempered by the news that another deaf climber, Muhammad Hawari Bin Hashim from Malaysia, whom they met and befriended at Everest Base Camp, had gone missing on his descent from summiting Mount Everest just three days earlier. Search efforts were unsuccessful, and Hawari is presumed not to have survived.

Lehmann and Unger aspire to climb the “Seven Summits” – the tallest mountains on each continent. With Mount Everest, they have completed four of the seven. They will tour deaf schools this coming year while preparing for their next journey. 

3

Several Gallaudet alumni were recognized at the Helen Hayes Awards ceremony on May 22 for their work on Olney Theatre Center’s production of Meredith Willson’s The Music Man, featuring a mix of Deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing artists. The musical was nominated for nine awards at the event, which honors achievements in theater in the Washington, D.C. region.

James “Joey” Caverly won Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical for his portrayal of Professor Harold Hill. Sandra Mae Frank and her co-director, Michael Baron, won for Outstanding Direction in a Musical. The cast — which included Amelia Hensley; Andrew Morrill, Jane Enabore, and Anjel Pinero – won Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical.

4

Gallaudet junior Eric Gregory retained the NCAA Division III championship in the 400-meter dash on May 27. His time of 45.93 seconds was the third fastest time in Division III history. Gregory, from Metairie, Louisiana, was also named a track and field All-American for the fourth time – three times for outdoor track and once for indoor track. He returns next year for his final season as Gallaudet’s most-decorated track athlete. Congratulations!

5
Gallaudet’s first ASL-English Bilingual Summer School in Cognitive and Educational Neuroscience welcomed six students – three from Gallaudet and three from other schools – for a six-week course designed to encourage them to pursue scientific careers. This is funded through a grant to Dr. Ilaria Berteletti from the National Science Foundation’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program.



In addition to our Top Five stories, we have an item about Mozzeria, everyone’s favorite pizza restaurant. We also have stories about three members of the community who have received major recognitions – art professor Michelle McAuliffe, artist Yiqiao Wang, and associate athletic director for communication Sam Atkinson.  Finally, we pay tribute to Dr. Howard Busby, a long-time faculty member and administrator who passed away in early June. 


Hi5 comes out once per month during the summer. The next issue of Hi5 will be on Friday, July 14. In the meantime, stay up to date by following us at @GallaudetU on our social media platforms. If you have a story that you feel would be a good fit for Hi5 or social media, share it with us at gu.live/request. 

 
Have a great month. We will see you again in mid-July!