Scholarships in The Silent Garden

Scholarships in The Silent Garden at Fresno State have been established to focus exclusively on undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Deaf Education and Sign Language Interpreting at Fresno State University. These scholarships are designed to support student need and help the University meet regional workforce demands. 

An Invitation

You are invited to establish a scholarship for student support in The Silent Garden. Over 80% of all Fresno State students require some kind of financial aid, so a scholarship is a wonderful way to honor a loved one while also supporting higher education in our region. Some of our existing scholarships include:

Joseph S. and Mary R. Slotnick Scholarship

Joseph S. Slotnick was the fifth deaf individual to graduate from Harvard University.  Mary R. Slonick played an important role in raising and educating her deaf daughter. Both Joe and Mary have always been great believers in the value of good education as an investment for all deaf and hard of hearing children. Sign language interpreters play an important role in the lives of deaf and hard of hearing children, youth, and adults so the Slotnicks decided to establish scholarships for future teachers and interpreters at Fresno State. Scholarships are awarded annually to deserving students majoring in either Deaf Education and/or Sign Language Interpreting within the Department of Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies.

Silent Garden Sign Language Interpreting Scholarship

Each year friends, family, professionals, and Fresno State alumni donate to support the Sign Language Interpreting Scholarship in the Silent Garden. There is great demand for sign language interpreters in all fields, such as education, medicine, social services, law, government, employment, and entertainment. The recent need for trilingual sign language interpreters has led many students to our interpreting program for training. Scholarships are awarded annually to outstanding students majoring in Sign Language Interpreting within the Department of Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies.

Michael A. Michner

As a certified public accountant who achieved the highest levels in the field of accounting, Michael A. Michner was a role model for many deaf and hard of hearing children, youth and adults. 1n 1970, when Michael was a teenager, his grandfather, Michel Morrison, was instrumental in establishing the Deaf Education Program at Fresno State. In memory of Michael, scholarships are awarded annually to the most meritorious students pursuing a M.A. in Deaf Education degree within the Department of Communicative Sciences and Deaf Studies.