Kappa Gamma
Encyclopedia
Headquartered in Washington DC, "The Chosen Few", otherwise known as Kappa Gamma, is the world's first deaf fraternity. Its formation came from an 1863 secret society before becoming a fraternity in 1901; just like its parent, Kappa Gamma is also a secret society, thus, many aspects of the fraternity are not publicly known. However, it is known that the criteria of admittance into the society are strict and selective, as they welcome only men of demonstrated leadership, scholarship, and fellowship who also exert a high quality in their character. With an average active number ranging in the late teens and early twenties, overall membership throughout the course of the society's existence numbers under two-thousand members.
Purpose
The overall purpose of Kappa Gamma is to strengthen the deaf community, as well as raising the standard of Gallaudet students. It is a society that is very active in various aspects of the campus community, varying from being sport team captains to serving on campus activity committees, as well as being active in the deaf community as a whole. Many prominent leaders within the deaf community are members of the society.Notable Brothers
- Joel Barish - Co-founder of DeafNation
- Andrew Bonheyo - Was featured on ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as Person of the Week in 2009 for his outstanding contributions in Deaf schools' football programs - Bernard Bragg - A famous actor and mimer of the DeafWest Theater
- Harvey CorsonHarvey CorsonHarvey J. Corson, Ed.D., is currently the Executive Director for the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford, Connecticut. He announced his retirement in 2006, ending his term as Executive Director, a post he held at the American School for the Deaf since 2001.Corson graduated from Gallaudet...
- Former Executive Director of American School for the DeafAmerican School for the DeafThe American School for the Deaf is the oldest permanent school for the deaf in the United States. It was founded April 15, 1817 in Hartford, Connecticut by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc and became a state-supported school in 1817.-History:... - Robert R. DavilaRobert R. DavilaDr. Robert Davila served as the ninth president of Gallaudet University, the world's only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students...
- Former President of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
and former Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative ServicesOffice of Special Education and Rehabilitative ServicesThe Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services is a program of the United States Department of Education. OSERS' official mission is "to provide leadership to achieve full integration and participation in society of people with disabilities by ensuring equal opportunity and access to,...
during the George H.W. Bush administration - Edward Miner GallaudetEdward Miner GallaudetEdward Miner Gallaudet , son of Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet and Sophia Fowler Gallaudet, was a famous early educator of the deaf in Washington, DC...
- First President of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S... - Mervin Garretson - Former Executive Director of National Association of the DeafNational Association of the DeafNational Associations of the Deaf are national bodies that represent Deaf people and the Deaf community in their respective countries. They are usually members of the World Federation of the Deaf and advocate for sign language.-See also:...
- Terry Giansanti - Founder of Hands On Travel
- Tyrone GiordanoTyrone GiordanoTyrone Giordano is a deaf American actor.An alumnus of Montgomery Blair High School and Gallaudet University, he began acting in Washington, DC in 1999...
- Actor - Harvey Goodstein - Vice Chair of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
's Board of Trustees and former Board Member of the National Association of the DeafNational Association of the DeafNational Associations of the Deaf are national bodies that represent Deaf people and the Deaf community in their respective countries. They are usually members of the World Federation of the Deaf and advocate for sign language.-See also:... - Malcolm Grossinger - Current Superintendent of California School for the Deaf, RiversideCalifornia School for the Deaf, RiversideThe California School for the Deaf, Riverside is a school for deaf and hearing impaired children, and is located in Riverside, California. The school educates children from all over Southern California...
- Percival HallPercival HallPercival Hall, was the second president of Gallaudet University . He was a strong advocate of the use of sign language in the education of the deaf, and also an advocate for deaf rights to vote, work, participate in sports, marry, and drive automobiles.The son of astronomer Asaph Hall, III and...
- Former President of Gallaudet University and the faculty member who helped establish the Kappa Gamma Fraternity - Olof HansonOlof HansonOlof Hanson was a Deaf American architect.-Background: Olof Hanson was born in Fjälkinge, in Skåne County, Sweden. His father was a well-to-do farmer, county official, and railroad director. In 1874 the family had made arrangements to go to America, where a farm had been purchased...
- Prominent architect - Greg Hlibok - Featured on ABCAmerican Broadcasting CompanyThe American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
as Person of the Week in 1988 as one of the leaders of the Deaf President NowDeaf President NowDeaf President Now was a student protest at Gallaudet University. The university, established by an act of Congress in 1864 to serve the Deaf, had always been led by a hearing president...
movement and currently is the Chief of Federal Communication Commission's Disability Rights Office - Stephen Hlibok - A successful financial adviser who was the first deaf person to break into the field and currently works at Merrill Lynch operated by Bank of America. He has been profiled in numerous publications such as Fortune, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Business Week and on several television appearances.
- Alan HurwitzAlan HurwitzDr. T. Alan Hurwitz is the Tenth President of Gallaudet University. Previously, he served as President of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf and Vice President and Dean of Rochester Institute of Technology. He served in a variety of other roles for most of NTID's 35-year history.Dr...
- Current President of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S... - Henry Klopping - Current Superintendent of California School for the Deaf, FremontCalifornia School for the Deaf, FremontThe California School for the Deaf, Fremont is a school for deaf children in Fremont, California. The school educates deaf children from all over Northern California...
- Jack Lamberton - Current President of USA Deaf Sports Federation and former Chief de Mission of the USA DeaflympicsDeaflympicsThe Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
team - Andrew Lange - Former President of the National Association of the DeafNational Association of the Deaf (United States)The National Association of the Deaf was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1880 as a non-profit organization run by deaf people to advocate for deaf rights. The first president of the organization was Robert P. McGregor of Ohio. It includes associations from all 50 states and Washington, DC...
- Gary MalkowskiGary MalkowskiGary Malkowski is a former Canadian provincial politician. He represented the riding of York East in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1990 to 1995, as a member of the Ontario New Democratic Party...
- Canadian Politician - Eric Malzkuhn - A legendary character in Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
's lore - Tim Rarus - One of the four leaders of Deaf President NowDeaf President NowDeaf President Now was a student protest at Gallaudet University. The university, established by an act of Congress in 1864 to serve the Deaf, had always been led by a hearing president...
movement - Benjamin Soukup - Chief Executive Officer of Communication Service for the Deaf and Chair of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
's Board of Trustees - Ronald Stern - Current Superintendent of New Mexico School for the DeafNew Mexico School for the DeafThe New Mexico School for the Deaf is a state-run school in Santa Fe, New Mexico, providing education for deaf and hard-of-hearing students from preschool through grade 12...
- James Tucker - Current Superintendent of Maryland School for the DeafMaryland School for the DeafThe Maryland School for the Deaf is a school that provides free public education to Deaf and hard-of-hearing Maryland residents, from birth to age 18.-History:...
- Frank Turk - Longtime deaf youth leadership activist. Founded the Youth Leadership CampYouth Leadership CampThe Youth Leadership Camp is an annual four-week leadership program for deaf high school students which has been operating in the United States as a non-profit organization since the late 1960s....
in 1969 - George VeditzGeorge VeditzGeorge William Veditz was a former president of National Association of the Deaf of the United States and was one of the first to film American Sign Language.-Early life:...
- Former President of the National Association of the DeafNational Association of the Deaf (United States)The National Association of the Deaf was founded in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1880 as a non-profit organization run by deaf people to advocate for deaf rights. The first president of the organization was Robert P. McGregor of Ohio. It includes associations from all 50 states and Washington, DC... - Stephen Weiner - Current Provost of Gallaudet UniversityGallaudet UniversityGallaudet University is a federally-chartered university for the education of the deaf and hard of hearing, located in the District of Columbia, U.S...
- Jeffrey White - Three-time DeaflympicsDeaflympicsThe Deaflympics are an International Olympic Committee -sanctioned event at which deaf athletes compete at an elite level...
wrestler (Los Angeles 1985, Christchurch 1989 & Sofia 1993) and two-time Deaflympics coach for the USA wrestling team (Rome 2001 & Melbourne 2005). - John Yeh - 2008 Deaf Person of the Year by Deaf Life magazine