Events Calendar May 5-6 Health and Safety Week booth, May 5, Concourse, New Westminster Campus May 6 Health and Safety Week booth, Atrium, David Lam Campus May 8-9 Conversations on Community Based Research Symposium, David Lam Campus. Info: Tom Whalley, 604-527-5818 May 11 The Douglas College Choral Society presents, A German Requiem by Johannes Brahms 2pm, Massey ‘Theatre, 723 Eighth Ave., New Westminster. Tickets and info: 604-527-5469 Douglas instructor connects Deaf and hearing communities Sign Language instructor Nigel Howard is the only deaf instructor in Canada teaching courses on topics other than interpreting, sign language and deaf culture. For Nigel Howard, working at Douglas College is all about building bridges between the Deaf and hearing communities. “T am the only Deaf instructor nationally who teaches courses on topics other than interpreter, sign language and In addition to teaching for the Program of Sign Language Interpretation (INTR), Howard instructs classes on personal and professional development, wellness and community in other programs in the Faculty of Child, Family and Community Studies (CFCS). While use American Sign Language in INTR classes, Howard lectures with an interpreter in his other courses. “There's a pretty progressive attitude here at Douglas College,” says Howard. Howard, who has taught at Deaf culture,” says Howard. the College for about 12 years, students are required to only enjoys elements of both INTR and other courses. “T get to see both cultures and languages working in this setting. The variety helps me become flexible. You need to be skilled in both cultures and languages to move between them,” says Howard. INTR is “my contribution to the students and to the community. | give to them and they give back to the Deaf community,” he says. ‘The strong relationship between Douglas College and the Deaf community is a unique aspect of INTR, says Howard. During a screening weekend where instructors assess potential students for the coming year, members of the Deaf community and professional interpreters help screen applicants. These close ties give the community “some ownership of, and partnership in, the program,” says Howard. Teaching courses in other CFCS programs allows Howard to have an impact on students who may have never encountered a deaf person. As a result, a graduate working with a deaf youth in the social services system for instance may be better able to match that youth's needs. “It could create an opportunity to change the attitude of people in the field,” says Howard. Howard speaks worldwide about professional interpreter development, Deaf culture and many other topics. Indeed, he is an important connection to the Deaf community, says INTR Program Coordinator Cheryl Palmer. “Nigel has a wealth of experience through his education, his experience as a deaf interpreter and his travel around the world. Having seen him at work in the classroom and giving seminars at various conferences, | can tell you he relishes the opportunity to share his knowledge with interpreters and the deaf community and is very good at what he does,” New scholarship honors memory of Criminology instructor’s son Criminology Instructor Colin Campbell and his wife Judith Osborne have established a new scholarship in memory of their only child, Brodie, who died on April 24, 2007. Brodie was 15 years old when he died suddenly from a rare, aggressive strain of bacterial meningitis called invasive meningococcal disease (IMD). Valued at $1,000, the Brodie Osborne-Campbell Memorial Scholarship will be awarded for the first time this summer to a second-year Douglas College Criminology student. Brodie was an honor-roll student at Dr. Charles Best Secondary School. Brodie’s sense of humor, athleticism and sportsmanship are keenly recalled by his dad. “Brodie had major surgery on his knee at 12 years old. He had a cast for six weeks from his toes to his hip. He insisted on having a flamboyant, pink cast,” Campbell laughs. Brodie was well-known at school for sporting a t-shirt with the message “Tough Guys Wear Pink” on it and even persuaded his dad to buy him a pink lacrosse stick. Lacrosse was Brodie’s favourite sport and he had taken up rugby shortly before his death. “He was a big boy playing a tough position. He certainly earned the respect of his teammates as a tough, clean player,” says Campbell. The realization that his healthy, active son could succumb to meningitis “was stark and brutal” says Campbell. He hopes the scholarship will help raise awareness of IMD and the fact that only one strain of meningitis is included in British Columbia's immunization programs. “If there's any good at all that could come of this it would be to spread the word of how vicious this disease is,” says Campbell. IMD has multiple strains, groups A, B, C, Y and W-135, four of which have vaccines. There is no vaccine for the B strain. British Columbia immunization programs only protect against the C strain. Brodie, who was immunized, died of the Y strain. The maritime provinces fund vaccinations for all four meningitis strains. Donations by faculty and staff to Douglas College scholarships are matched one-for-one by the College and are tax deductible. To contribute to the Brodie Osborne-Campbell Memorial Scholarship fund, please contact Douglas College Foundation Coordinator Sarah Lock at locks@douglas.be.ca or 604-777-6176. Brodie Osborne-Campbell, pink lacrosse stick in hand, is remembered by dad Colin Campbell for his sense of humour, sportsmanship and athleticism.