T. Alan and Vicki T. Hurwitz collection

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: RITDSA-0134

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The T. Alan and Vicki T. Hurwitz collection contains a variety of materials.

- Six recipe books from various Deaf Associations including Cooking with Grace by the 1987 Rochester Convention Committee; Family Recipes and Holiday Traditions by the North Carolina Association of the Deaf; Iowa Association of the Deaf Cook Book; Central Institute for the Deaf Alumni Association Recipes from the Best Cooks; Rochester School for the Deaf Alumni Association Cookbook 1990; and Apple-A-Day Cookbook with proceeds to benefit the Jr. National Association of the Deaf Rochester Chapter.

- Glassware from NTID and Kappa Theta Phi events including mugs, a glass decanter labeled Kappa Phi Theta Spring Formal, March 31, 1990 and a glass labeled Kappa Phi Theta Spring Formal, March 31, 1990.

- A VPAD communication device for the deaf. The VPAD is a lightweight, standalone VOIP videophone with a 10.2″ touchscreen monitor, WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities and enables sign language users to place phone calls by videoconferencing with interpreters specially trained to relay phone conversations.

- Five communication devices for the deaf: Telecaption Decoder, Telecaption II, Telecaption 3000 remote, Telecaption 4000 closed caption decoders for printing closed captions on your television for individuals who are deaf or hearing impaired, and a Compact by Ultratec TTY device. In 2017, additional paper materials were donated by the Hurwitz's consisting of newspaper clippings, scanned clippings, Vicki Hurwitz correspondence, promotional materials and advertisements, and various printed publications.

Dates

Creation: 1971-2007

Creator

Hurwitz, T. Alan (Person)
Hurwitz, Vicki T. (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

Dr. T. Alan Hurwitz was appointed President of Gallaudet University in 2009. He formerly served as Vice President of Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and Dean/CEO of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at RIT. Mr. Hurwitz holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Washington University at St. Louis, M.S. in Electrical Engineering from St. Louis University and Ed.D. in Teaching and Curriculum from the University of Rochester. At NTID, he held the rank of Professor and taught courses in Mathematics, Electronics, Computer Science, and in the Interpreter Education and Teacher Preparation programs. He was an Electronics Engineer and Numerical Control Programmer at McDonnell Douglas Corporation prior to joining the NTID faculty in 1970. Throughout his career, Hurwitz has been active in a variety of professional organizations, serving as president of both the National Association of the Deaf from 1982-1984 and the World Organization of Jewish Deaf.

Vicki T. Hurwitz has enjoyed a multi-faceted career. She served as Director of the Outreach Center at the Rochester School for the Deaf. Previously, she served as the Student Development Coordinator with the Student Life Team and a Project/Program Coordinator of the Peer Sexuality Education Program for deaf students at RIT. Among her other accomplishments, she coordinated a needs assessment for and assisted in the establishment of a residential treatment facility for emotionally disturbed deaf children and served as a Social Worker at the Norris Alcoholism Treatment Center. She served as vice-president of Deaf Women United for four years, and co-founded Advocacy Services for Abused Deaf Victims in 1998, serving as executive and then president. She received a B.S. in Social Work and M.S. in Career and Human Resource Development from RIT.

Extent

3 Linear Feet (Bobblehead (bagged separately) 2 cartons - glassware and devices and recipe books 1 document box - paper records 2 items on shelf )

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

Alan and Vicki Hurwitz were both employed at National Technical School for the Deaf (NTID) for many years. In 2013, they left to work at Gallaudet University. This collection includes several devices for communicating with the deaf, several coffee mugs from different events at NTID and cookbooks from different deaf schools across the U.S.