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Robert Davila Robert Refugio Davila was born on July 19, 1932 to Mexican immigrants, Rosalio and Soledad Davila. Their fifth son was born to them in Southern California; he was the youngest of five boys. Robert’s family were farm workers; they often worked in the fields with their children. They would travel to follow the potato, lemon, cotton, plum, and pea harvests. Robert Davila was born Hearing; however, at the age of eleven, he became deaf. His deafness was caused by spinal meningitis. His father died when Robert was six; before he became deaf. His mother raised his four brothers and him alone. Robert’s mother learned about a school for the deaf that was located in Berkley; she sent him alone to the California School for the Deaf (CSD). This is where his academic and professional achievements began (Lang, H et al 2007). Robert had no formal education before attending the California School for the Deaf; however that did not stop him from being a top student in his class. He learned English and American Sign Language at California School for the Deaf; he already knew how to speak Spanish because he is a native Spanish speaker (Upward Mobility, 2007). Robert Davila also knows how to read proficiently in Italian and Portuguese (Lang, H et al, 2007). At the time that Robert Davila was attending CSD, it was free to attend the school. He would eat very little because he believed his parents had to pay for everything, and he didn’t want it to get expensive for them. He believed that until one day he was told by another student that everything was free. He was so shocked! Robert felt so lucky to go to school at a time where it didn’t cost any money (Upward Mobility, 2007). Robert Davila graduated with honors from CSD; he was the first person to graduate from high school in his family. Once he graduated from high school, he attended Gallaudet University. He earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Gallaudet University in 1953. Robert Davila was the first Hispanic to graduate from Gallaudet University (Lang, H et al, 2007). After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree, Robert became a teacher at the New York School for the Deaf in White Plains. He wanted to teach in California; however New York had more opportunities for him. Seven years after teaching in New York, Robert received a letter from the New York State Educational Department informing him that if he wanted to continue teaching, he must get his Master’s Degree within three years. With that said, he got his Master’s Degree from Hunter College. This was his first time being mainstreamed; at that time there were no interpreting services for deaf students. He received his Master’s Degree by sitting in the front of his classes, working hard, studying and asking other students for their notes (Upward Mobility, 2007). Robert Davila met the woman that would one day be his wife, Donna, while he was still attending Gallaudet University. After a year of dating, Robert and Donna were married on August 8, 1953. Robert Davila became the assistant principle for the New York School for the Deaf in White Plains (also called Fanwood). While being assistant principle at a school for the deaf, he started thinking about going back to school to get a Doctorate’s Degree. He resigned from his assistant principle position to focus on going back to school. He graduated from Syracuse University with a Ph.D. in Educational Technology and Curriculum Development. He knew getting a Ph.D. would open him up to many more opportunities. Robert got a job as a teacher at Gallaudet University; while he was a teacher there, he was also the dean of Kendall Demonstration Elementary School (Upward Mobility, 2007). Robert Davila has been the first deaf person to hold a high position at three professional organizations for deaf educators in the United States. He has had positions of power in: the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD), the Council on Education of the Deaf (CED), and the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf (CAID). Robert Davila has also been the chief executive officer at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Robert also became the vice president of Gallaudet University's former Pre-College Programs, which is now called the Laurent Clerc National Deaf Education Center (Lang, H el at, 2007). He has not only had high administrative positions in top Deaf organizations, but he was also the assistant secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services in the U.S. Department of Education. He was able to work alongside of George W. Bush. Robert Davila was named the ninth president of Gallaudet University from 2007-2009 (Gallaudet University, n.d). One of Robert Davila’s many awards was to be named a Member of Honor at the National Conference of Educators of the Deaf in Spain. He is the first deaf person to be given this honor. He is also the first foreign born person to ever be invited to become a member. Robert was the only deaf person at the conference and was also the keynote speaker. An interesting fact about this event is that they wanted him to give his speech in Spanish, and he did. Another award that Robert Davila received was when his induction into Hall of Fame for Disabled Americans; he was the third deaf person to be inducted into the Hall of Fame (Upward Mobility, 2007). Robert Davila is recognized to be a great leader in the Deaf community, Hispanic community, and educator’s community, and any other community that values hard work, dedication, and faith. He is a great example to show that being deaf doesn’t mean being “disabled”. He has achieved a great education, has been honored in many ways while being an educator is married, and his life is a great example of “The American Dream. Robert Davila did not let the fact that he is a double minority get in the way of his dreams.

Works Cited Page Dr. Robert R. Davila - Gallaudet University. (n.d.). Dr. Robert R. Davila - Gallaudet University. Retrieved September 29, 2014, from http://www.gallaudet.edu/history/presidents/davila_robert.html Lang, H. G., Cohen, O. P., & Fischgrund, J. E. (2007). Moments of truth: Robert R. Davila, the story of a deaf leader. NOOK BOOK Sample. Rochester, N.Y.: RIT Press. UPWARD MOBILITY - Robert Davila. (n.d.). NTID Life Histories Project: A Collection of Life Stories of Deaf People. Retrieved September 25, 2014, from http://library.rit.edu/depts/archives/deafhistory/davila.htm