The esteemed Gallaudet University in Washington DC recently announced Filipino Raphael V. Domingo and Nigerian Olufemi Oladu Ige as the recipients of its annual Gallaudet-Nippon World Deaf Leadership (WDL) Scholarship Fund.
Domingo, Head of De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB)’s Learner-centered Education Access for the Deaf Section, is now pursuing his Doctorate in Linguistics, mentored by Dr. Miako Rankin, an associate professor in Gallaudet’s Department of Linguistics.
Meanwhile, Ige, an Administrative Officer at the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja, is taking up his Master of Public Administration and International Development program, guided by Dr. David Penna, Chair of the Department of Government and Public Affairs.
The grant covers full tuition, accommodation and board, plus provides a stipend for personal expenses. Scholars are on leave from their jobs to further their education at Gallaudet.
The WDL scholarship is funded by the Nippon Foundation in Tokyo, Japan, with
the purpose of providing opportunities to students from different developing nations. The knowledge and leadership skills acquired during their stay at the university fulfill the primary requirement of empowering other deaf and hard of hearing people in their respective countries.
Since WDL was founded in 2003, 16 educational subsidies have been awarded.
In a statement, WDLC Committee Chair Danilo Torres said, “The WDL staff deeply appreciates the work of the steering committee and the mentors in helping select this year’s recipients. We all wish Raphael and Olufemi the best of luck and look forward to their successes at Gallaudet and upon their eventual return home as leaders in their communities.”
Nippon Foundation in Tokyo is the world’s foremost educational benefactor of deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Its mission is to create a society without barriers that challenges an individual’s ability to achieve a fulfilling, productive life.