Alesia Nicole Allen has joined the faculty at Rochester Institute of Technology’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf as a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Liberal Studies.
Allen teaches introductory courses in Psychology and Abnormal Psychology.
A native of Ohio, Allen attended RIT/NTID and earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2004. She earned a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from Gallaudet University, and expects to defend her dissertation in 2016 and earn a Ph.D. from Gallaudet in Clinical Psychology.
She is the recipient of the Dwight David Eisenhower Transportation Fellowship Program Achievement Award, Officer Appreciation Award and Outstanding Advocacy Award presented by NTID’s Student Government for advocating the needs of deaf and hard-of-hearing people on campus. She also was honored for her service to the Philadelphia community for providing services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with mental health concerns.
“In my opinion, teaching goes beyond the classroom and also consists of advising and mentoring,” Allen said. “This is critical because I believe effective teaching involves building rapport and being sensitive to students’ needs. Another important responsibility involves scholarship and staying up to date with research trends in the field. Currently, I am working on completing my dissertation, which focuses primarily on hard-of-hearing individuals and their overall psychological well-being. I encourage students to get involved in research and provide support to them in their efforts. Finally, there’s a service component of my job. Service initiatives may include getting involved on committees to help provide feedback on improving goals of the department, mentoring students, or getting involved in some efforts to help the Rochester community.”
“We are pleased to have Alesia back at RIT/NTID as a member of our faculty,” said Dr. Gerry Buckley, NTID president and RIT vice president and dean. “She is an outstanding example of all that is possible with an RIT/NTID education, and is a true role model for our students.”