Application Period & Deadline

The application process opens on Wednesday, May 25, 2022 at 8:00am CST. The deadline to submit an application is on June 6, 2022 at 5:00pm CST.

Selection & Notification Dates

Individuals selected for the program will be notified by email on June 21, 2022. An announcement will be posted online once all participants have been confirmed.

Schedule for Cohort #1

The program runs for 6 months starting July 5, 2022 into December 15, 2022. Educational phase is from July to October, and the Induction phase is November to December.

Program Details

LaTanya E. Jones, M.S.M., NIC – PI/Project Director

The Cohort Track will accept 35 certified interpreters every year for five years. Participants will apply and once selected will work through the online educational and induction phases as a group with expert facilitators, mentors and supervisors.

Ready to Level Up your career? Apply now!

Paper in front of a laptop with checklist outlined in purple.

What is Project Level Up?

CATIE Center’s Project Level Up: Advancing Healthcare Interpreter Competencies will increase interpreter’s knowledge, skills, and competencies; thereby, reducing the equity gaps in healthcare communication for Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind individuals in healthcare settings.

Brown icon outline of a book with mouse pointer over it.

What is the commitment?

The program is free for 35 qualified applicants who are committed to completing the program in its entirety. The program runs for 6 months starting July 5, 2022 into December 15, 2022. The time committment is estimated to total approximately 131 hours. See complete details below.

Who is Qualified?

All interpreters from diverse backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply: including hearing, Deaf, heritage signers, and individuals from underrepresented communities.

See the FAQ below for a complete list of qualifications.

St. Catherine University’s CATIE Center Project Level Up is funded by the US Department of Education, Rehabilitation Services Administration, Award #H160D210004.

The project contents; however, do not necessarily represent the policy of the Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government. (Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 3474).

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the time commitment?

The program runs for 6 months starting July 5, 2022 into December 15, 2022. There are two phases of the program:

An online Educational Phase that totals 96 hours. This includes 8 modules to be completed on Canvas.
An Induction Phase of 35 hours. This includes 5 hours of observation, 30 hours of interpreting work, and 10 hours of case consultation with a supervisor. This work will happen via a VRI setting or in-person depending on the location of the participant.

Click here to view a PDF with a schedule breakdown.

What does the program cost?

The program is free for 35 qualified applicants. The program selection criteria is listed below.

Who can apply?

We welcome and encourage all interpreters from diverse backgrounds to apply including hearing, Deaf, heritage signers, and individuals from underrepresented communities.

What is the application criteria?

To qualify for the Level Up program an applicant must:

Live in the U.S. or U.S. territories
Possess 3+ years of interpreting experience
Possess a B.A. Degree or Equivalent (see next question)
Possess a background and interest in interpreting in Healthcare.
Have access to appropriate technology for online learning and video conferencing capabilities, e.g., Zoom.
Possess a willingness to work with consumers and colleagues from all backgrounds, including individuals from traditionally underrepresented and marginalized communities including Black and Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), Heritage Language Signers, and interpreters from rural areas.

I do not have a Bachelor’s Degree or Certification. Can I still apply?

Yes, the equivalence criterion is as follows:

If no baccalaureate degree, on a case-by-case basis and in consultation with RSA, educational equivalence may be used in place of the baccalaureate degree. Educational equivalence includes RID or state certification (with medical interpreting endorsements if applicable).

OR

If no RID or state certification, on a case-by-case basis and in consultation with RSA, life experience may be used in place of the RID or state certification. Life experience may include interpreter training workshops or college courses. Applicants should be able to provide proof of successful completion of educational experiences.

Will program participants earn CEU’s?

Yes, if accepted into the program. Participants will receive a total of 131 CEU hours through RID. Participants must complete both phases of the cohort track to receive CEUs.

No partial CEUs will be awarded.

Is the cohort track the only option for participating in Level Up?

Nope! Project Level Up has two tracks: the cohort track and a self-study track. We will be rolling out a brand new learning experience on the website this summer.

Subscribe to email updates.

Meet the Team

LaTanya E. Jones

MSM, NIC, Principal Investigator/Project Director

LaTanya is an interpreter with thirteen years of interpreting experience. She has worked in a plethora of professional and video relay settings but specializes in healthcare interpreting. LaTanya is also an adjunct professor at both the Community College of Philadelphia and the University of Southern Maine.

A staunch, lifelong advocate for education, LaTanya earned an Associate in Applied Science in American Sign Language/English interpreting from the Community College of Philadelphia, a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the Fox School of Business at Temple University; continued her studies in ASL linguistics at Gallaudet University, and earned a Master of Science in Management from Rosemont College. Currently, LaTanya is a graduate student at Widener University pursuing an MSW and an MEd in Human Sexuality in a dual degree program.

LaTanya enjoys giving back by volunteering her time and talents. LaTanya is an Ex-Officio for the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), served as the Region I Representative for RID, and serves as the Immediate Past President of the Pennsylvania Registry Interpreters for the Deaf.

LaTanya enjoys reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends in her free time.

Paula MacDonald

M.S, NIC, QMHI, Instructional Designer/Assistant Director

Paula MacDonald, M.S, NIC, QMHI is a reflective English/ASL Interpreter practitioner specializing in; Deaf Professional/Designating Interpreting, legislative, government, conference, mental health and DeafBlind (ProTactile, Tactile and Low Vision) settings since 2009. She holds a Certificate in Deaf Studies, an A.A.S. in English/ASL Interpreting and Transliteration, B.A. in Multicultural Interpreting and a M.S. in Interpreting Pedagogy-completing her teaching practicum at Karl-Franzens University, Graz, Austria. Since 2013, she has worked as an instructional designer and online educator using a variety of learning management systems. She intentionally applies evidence-based best practices to culturally relevant pedagogical, andragogical, and heutagogical curricula design for adult and non-traditional learners.

Taryn Philippi

MSW, LGSW, Program Specialist

Taryn works as a program specialist for the CATIE Center’s Project Level Up grant. She graduated from Gallaudet University in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. Taryn is a LGSW (Licensed Graduate Social Worker) and she obtained her Master of Social Work degree at St. Catherine University in 2022. Taryn has 5+ years of experience working in the mental health field serving Deaf, Deafblind, and Hard of Hearing. She is happy to be a part of the CATIE Center team and its mission to diversify and increase the number of qualified healthcare interpreters.