“Igniting pride and honor”: Lizzie Sorkin makes campus history

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Sorkin, 24, a Film/Video and Animation major at RIT, has become the first deaf student-government president of a U.S. college comprised of mostly hearing students. She was elected to serve a one-year term at RIT, where 1,100 deaf and hard-of-hearing students are mainstreamed with 14,400 hearing students.

RIT is home to the renowned NTID (one of RIT’s eight colleges), where students with varying levels of hearing loss have unparalleled access to technology, interpreters, notetakers, tutors, and other services that promote individual success in the classroom and workplace.

“We don’t just talk about diversity on this campus; we live it every day in so many ways,” said Sorkin, who prefers to use ASL and will generally use interpreters to communicate with those who don’t know sign language.

She and her vice president, Daniel Arscott, a hearing native of Boston, have campaigned around their slogan “Identify.” Said Sorkin, “Dan and I want to ignite pride and honor, as well as loyalty for everyone who studies or works here. RIT already has a good spirit community emerging; Dan and I want to continue that momentum at full speed. When we started campaigning, people were already E-mailing us of their interest in being on the SG Cabinet with us next year. Even though Dan doesn’t know sign, we get by with one-on-one communication like any one else would.”

“Lizzie is an excellent communicator and a natural leader,” said Dr. T. Alan Hurwitz, RIT Vice President and NTID CEO/Dean. “Through her hard work and dedication, she has earned the respect of students, faculty, and staff alike.”

Sorkin is finishing her term as NTID Student Congress president and RIT Student Government senator, where she led the effort to hold regular pep rallies, Spirit Fridays, social gatherings, and more to create a new sense of community within NTID.

A native of Elk Grove California, Sorkin was born hearing to deaf parents, became deaf at a very young age for reasons unknown, and attended mainstream schools her whole life. She chose RIT because, she said, of the mainstream environment as well as exemplary support services offered. “My dad, who graduated from RIT, encouraged me to attend the Explore Your Future career-exploration summer program, where I met other peers whom I could relate with,” Sorkin explained. “I lacked that kind of social stimulation growing up.”

Sorkin earned a Davis Scholar Award, given to student leaders who contribute to campus life, an Academic Achievement & Service Award, and has made the Dean’s List several times. She also won awards from several film festivals for her short movie, Don’t Mind? She spent Spring break this year in the Philippines co-presenting a workshop to deaf students there and visiting elementary school children.

Dateline: April 24, 2006