The ASL Club is a student organization at Columbia College Chicago that strives to encourage ASL-English Interpretation students to continue developing their skills in an atmosphere that is productive and enjoyable.

The club has organized many small group study sessions and large-scale educational trips. Club members have visited Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only four-year liberal arts college for the deaf in the world. Members have also visited the National Technical Institute for the Deaf in Rochester, New York, and the United Nations headquarters. The club also hosts talent shows and attends silent (ASL-only) weekends. ASL Club members extend their education outside of the classroom and share experiences that will have a positive impact on them as they enter the interpreting field. 

For more information, please contact Crom Saunders at ksaunders@colum.edu or 312.369.7837. 

The mission of the Black and Latino Interpreting National Group (BLING) is to expand the number of nationally certified minority interpreters by hosting panel discussions, offering mentoring and support, and by facilitating networking. BLING began in 2010 and was awarded Columbia College Chicago’s Rookie of the Year Club for the 2010-11 academic year. 

For more information, please contact Lisa Butler at lbutler@colum.edu or 312.369.7174.

The Department of ASL-English Interpretation’s resources include a language and media lab. Because American Sign Language is a visual language, the language lab is available to reinforce and supplement what is learned in class. The lab is primarily used by students working on class assignments, attending study groups or tutoring sessions, and for hosting ASL club meetings and events.

The lab includes a library of more than 1,000 books, videotapes, DVDs, and CDs specific to the fields of American Sign Language, deaf studies/culture, and interpreting, as well as a current selection of popular and obscure deaf- and interpreting-related publications and newsletters. The language and media laboratory is located in the 33 E. Congress building on the fourth floor, room 420. 

For more information, please contact Lynn Cachey at lcachey@colum.edu. 

Even though the ASL-English Interpretation degree program is designed for students to begin their course of study without any prior ASL knowledge, many students arrive at Columbia with either life experience or coursework in ASL. We offer a placement interview for such students.

During this interview, students meet with a Deaf faculty or staff member who assesses the student's ASL fluency. This helps us determine an appropriate course placement. Placement evaluations consider vocabulary, ASL grammar, and communication skills. Students who have experience using an English-based sign system are generally placed in “ASL I” so they can become accustomed to using American Sign Language.

The best time for a student to have a placement evaluation is during Orientation. We are able to assess students during this time and register them promptly. If students wish to do a placement evaluation at a time other than Orientation, they can do so via Skype with one of our full-time faculty members.

Please contact Nina Campbell at 312.369.7837 or ncampbell@colum.edu for more information.

Questions about financial aid? Visit the Office of Student Financial Services. 

If you need help with a course housed in the Department of ASL-English Interpretation, you may sign up for one hour of tutoring with a Deaf curriculum expert through your OASIS account. For more information, please contact our lab at 312.369.7175 or you may also stop by. We are located at 33 E. Congress, room 420. For assistance with other classes you are taking at Columbia, please contact the Learning Studio, 618 S. Michigan Ave., first floor. The Learning Studio has a wealth of resources to help you, including more than seventy-five tutors.

Along with a number of college-wide scholarships, the Department of ASL-English Interpretation is home to the Michael Fryzlewicz Scholarship. Please contact Nina Campbell at ncampbell@colum.edu or at 312.369.7837 for more information about the Michael Fryzlewicz scholarship. For all other scholarships, please visit colum.edu/scholarships. 

If you are majoring in ASL-English Interpretation and have any questions or concerns regarding ASL courses, please contact your assigned department advisor. You may also contact Keith Lusson in the Office of Advising at 312.369.7283 or klusson@colum.edu. If you have any further questions, please contact the main office of the Department of ASL-English Interpretation at 312.369.7837. 

All undergraduate students at Columbia College Chicago are required to fulfill their LAS Core requirements, what many other colleges and universities call “general education” courses, in order to graduate. For more information on the LAS Core Curriculum, click here. To see where you stand in fulfilling your LAS Core requirements, log in to OASIS and look over your Advising Guide. 

Do you have a GPA of 3.5 or higher? Become an Honors student at Columbia College Chicago. Learn more about the Honors Program.