Signs of Growth: Collaboration and Innovation in UNC’s ASL Programs

Right now, in an elementary school classroom somewhere, a group of young students is likely gathered, perhaps seated on a colorful classroom rug or in rows at their desks, as their teacher demonstrates how to say the alphabet through distinct hand shapes.  

A closed fist with the thumb on the side for A, an open palm, facing outwards with the thumb tucked across for B and so on.  

This simple demonstration is, in many instances, the students’ first glimpse into the world of American Sign Language (ASL). For many of them, their education stops there — a handful of letters and maybe knowledge of how to say “thank you” (flat hand, fingertips to chin, moving the hand out and down slightly towards the other person).  

But for a few, moments like these are the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning, teaching and interpreting this unique, visual language, ASL – a career path for which demand is at an all-time high. 

Those who end up following that path into college and attend the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) will find an institution with a lineup of ASL programs just as unique as the language itself. 

Iterating and Innovating 

In more than one way, 2026 has been a standout year for UNC’s Department of American Sign Language and Interpreting Studies (ASLIS).  

Not only did the summer mark the 10-year anniversary of the ASL-English Interpretation (ASLEI) degree, the program also welcomed its largest student cohort in UNC history this year, reflecting the growing demand for trained ASL interpreters and UNC’s dedication to fulfilling those needs.  

The department’s Teaching ASL (TASL) Master’s program — the only master’s-level program in the country that focuses explicitly on ASL education — also welcomed the largest cohort of students in four years, more than doubling student enrollment from 2025.  

Despite those successes, the department and its faculty aren’t content to rest on their laurels.  

“We don’t like the status quo,” said Melinda Kisling, senior lecturer and ASL program coordinator. “We’re always looking for that ‘something’ that is innovative and will foster growth. We’re focused on the students and their goals, and that’s an ever-changing, ever-evolving aim.” 

With an eye on the future, the faculty of UNC’s ASL programs are looking to develop new offerings for students in the years to come.  

A new bachelor’s degree in ASL Studies will soon be available for students to enroll in, with the goal of providing those interested in gaining advanced ASL proficiency without needing to pursue careers as interpreters, specifically.   

The inspiration for this new degree came, at least in part, from Kisling’s experience seeing how many students outside of the ASL program were interested in taking ASL classes. 

“It might be because people are seeing sign language more around campus through our students, through interpreters or however else, and become interested that way,” Kisling said. “However it’s happening, we’re thrilled, and want to get more people involved however we can.”  

In addition to that second bachelor’s degree, the program is also working to develop two new official professional certificates — one in Leadership and Supervision for Interpreters and one in Legal Interpreting.  

“No matter where our students end up, we hope to provide them with an education and the professional standards to make a positive impact, all while taking into consideration the human and moral sides of the work they’re doing,” said Taylor Hartman, assistant professor and TASL program coordinator. 

Strong Foundation, Strong Education 

The growth and development of UNC’s ASLIS programs didn’t happen by accident or happy coincidence. According to Randy Thuesen, senior lecturer and ASLEI program coordinator, the foundation for this recent success has been in the making for years.  

“The pillars that make up the foundation for our programs are collaboration, growth and community,” Thuesen said.  

Hartman concurred, highlighting how interconnected each part of the ASLIS programs really are. 

“We’re not siloed, just focusing on our own work,” Hartman said. “We’re very interactive and collaborative. The strength of our group is a representation of the strength of our program.” 

That spirit of collaboration is evident in nearly every ASL program faculty and staff member, as well as the program’s students.  

Makayla Lynch is an ASLEI and Communication Studies double-major now in her second year in the ASL program. Even amidst this busy schedule, she has taken to the program with enthusiasm, serving as the vice president of the university’s student-led ASL Club in addition to her coursework. 

According to Lynch, one of the first moments she realized just how unique and dedicated the ASL faculty were during last year’s ASL Carnival, a fundraiser/festival hosted by the ASL Club featuring food, tie-dye, games and, most importantly, the Pie Your Professor event.  

“We had professors out there in trash bags and goggles, and people could pay like, $5 to throw a pie in their face. We thought we’d get a handful of people wanting to do it, but there ended up being a line down the entire field,” Lynch said. “It was incredible, the faculty were so enthusiastic and good-natured and it was just the biggest hit.” 

Lynch recalls one faculty member going so far as to run back to their place of residence to scrounge up enough loose change to pay for one more pie-ing.  

When not engaged in extraordinary extracurriculars, the ASLIS faculty strive to build a foundation of curriculum that will provide UNC students with the highest level of competency to best prepare them for the world after graduation.  

At the federal level, there is no detailed definition for what makes an ASL interpreter “qualified,” according to Thuesen. Each state has its own standards that interpreters are held to, meaning a qualified professional in one state might not be able to get a job in another.  

For that reason, the ASLIS department’s English Interpretation programs aim to educate students based on the highest level, with the strictest standards for producing professional signed language professionals.  

“Language is tied to both cognitive and social development in children, as well as many other necessary life skills,” Thuesen said. “If someone accepts a job as an interpreter without appropriate skills or credentials, they can have a huge impact on a deaf person’s life — or a hearing person’s, for that matter.” 

Emily Girardin, a member of the ASLIS department’s staff and director of the Preparing School Interpreters Project, highlighted just how far and wide the graduates of UNC’s ASL programs have spread.  

“[It’s] a professional community that now spans nearly two decades, more than 40 states, and generations of educational interpreters committed to supporting the deaf and hard of hearing students they serve,” Girardin wrote in an article contributed to UNC’s news website earlier this year.  

RELATED: A Circle Spanning Nearly Two Decades: UNC’s Preparing School Interpreters Project 

That educational foundation — centered around allowing students to take their skills anywhere once they graduate — goes hand-in-hand with the ASLIS department’s culture of collaboration and innovation.  

The result is a series of programs that serve as strong leaders in the field of ASL educator and interpreter training; programs that show no signs of slowing down any time soon.  

“We, as interpreters, can have a huge impact on people’s lives and how they learn,” Thuesen said. “That’s something we take seriously, and we’re always working to find new, innovative, transformative ways to make sure those impacts are positive ones.”