Suffolk student wins Gilbert Scholarship

Abigail Bethon of Port Washington is the proud recipient of the Suffolk Community College Foundation’s 2018 Gilbert Committee Scholarship. The Gilbert Committee established a scholarship in 1978 to support eligible students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The award is $ 2,500 per year for a new student and two $1,250 awards for continuing students.

L to R: Cassie Raguso, Mill Neck Interpreters; Jennifer Forni, SCCC Director of Disability Services; Abigail Bethon, Gilbert Scholar, SCCC Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Program; Gary Joel Schacker, Chairman, Gilbert Fund Committee for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Suffolk Community College Foundation and Principal, United Realty; Sylvia A. Diaz, PhD, LMSW, Executive Director, Suffolk Community College Foundation and; Christopher A. Williams, Esq., Director of Development, Suffolk Community College Foundation.

Abigail, an aspiring baker in the Suffolk County Community College Culinary Arts program, emigrated from China at age 6 to an adoptive Long Island family. Born profoundly deaf, Abigail was fitted with cochlear implants. At Suffolk, Abigail is registered with the Office of Disability Services and utilizes the services of the sign language interpreters and CART services when in class.

CART services provide the translation of the spoken word into text which can then be viewed on a computer monitor or other screen, in real time. The College provides these services, as well as other accommodations, to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and registered with the Office of Disability Services.

A graduate of the Mill Neck Manor School, Abigail, now 23,  dreams of one day opening her own bakery.

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