Third class graduates from mentorship program

Among those gathered at the mentorship dinner were left to right are: L. J. Myers,
Father Joseph Mulcrone, Gail Partridge Harvanek and Chris Skoczynski.

What do you want to be when you grow up?  For deaf and hard of hearing children, role models are an important first step in showing the way.

The third graduating class of the Mary Mulcrone Mentorship Program for sign language interpreters was recognized at a dinner on June 23. Chicago Hearing Society established the program to provide professional development for experienced freelance interpreters, Deaf interpreters and newly working interpreters. This year’s graduates are Meghan Adelsberger, Shirley Hildebrand Lewis and Heidi Woelbling. The mentors for this group were: Donna Reiter Brandwein, Gail Partridge Harvanek, L. J. Myers and Leandra Williams. Father Joseph Mulcrone and Chris Skoczynski, mentorship trainer, joined in congratulating the participants on their achievement. “There are times during the careers of interpreters when they want to branch out and work in a different field, such as medical or mental health or legal interpreting,” explained Gail Partridge Harvanek, one of the mentors. “Or perhaps an interpreter would like to improve a specific skill, such as sign to voice interpreting. Interpreters are bound by their professional code of conduct to accept only those assignments for which they feel qualified. So the best way to gain new experience is with a peer mentor.” The mentorship program matches interpreters seeking to broaden their skills with a peer mentor who can guide that skill development. The next group of mentees will be trained to work in the Cook County courts. For more information about the Mary Mulcrone Mentorship Program, contact CHS Interpreter Services Assistant Director Sherry Alford at salford@anixter.org