Understanding Our Deaf Community

Supporting promising students in Deaf Studies.

Give to the Scholarship in Deaf Studies

Jackie (Jax) Eugster became passionate about the field of Deaf Studies in high school as a volunteer at the California School for the Deaf in Fremont, California. She came to CSUN because she knew of its exceptional Deaf Studies program with prestigious faculty who care about their students. In fact, CSUN is only one of two institutions in the nation that offers a comprehensive undergraduate program in Deaf Studies.

“CSUN was the right decision for me as the program exposed me to systems of power and how we interact with these systems on a daily basis,” said Jax. “It allowed me to reframe my understanding of not only the Deaf community, but also communities based on race, gender, ability and sexual orientation, driving my passion and understanding about the community even further. CSUN’s Deaf Studies program opened my mind and eyes to a whole new understanding and perspective of our world.”

As a student, Jax earned a named scholarship in Deaf Studies, which relieved the financial burden of tuition and motivated her to continue her work and research within the Deaf Studies Department.

“The scholarship was a self-esteem booster,” she said. “It meant people outside of the Deaf Studies program also believed in the work I was doing and wanted me to continue that work.”

Gifts to the Deaf Studies Scholarship Fund ensures that students have the financial support needed to pursue their education in Deaf Studies and explore future careers in deaf-related fields. You gift ensures that approximately 700,000 Deaf Americans have full access to public and private programs and services supported by trained professionals like Jax who are truly passionate about serving this community.