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Program logo for Level Up. A collage of images shows diverse individuals on their laptops, reading or writing. Under the collage is text Apply now to join a cohort of peers.

Application Period & Deadline

The application process opens on November 14, 2023 at 9:00am CST. The deadline to submit an application is on November 28, 2023 at 5:00pm CST.

Selection & Notification Dates

Individuals selected for the program will be notified by email on December 5, 2023. An announcement will be posted on our website once all participants have been confirmed.

Schedule for Cohort #3

The program includes two portions that run simultaneously: the educational phase and the experiential learning phase. A total of 126 hours, over 8 months, starting January 2nd, 2024 to July 31, 2024. 

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Program Details

LaTanya E. Jones, MSM, NIC, MSW, MEd – 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. 
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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.

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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 8 months starting January 2, 2024 to July 31, 2024. The time commitment is estimated to total approximately 126 hours. See complete details below.

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Who is Qualified?

All interpreters from diverse backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to apply: including hearing, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, 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 8 months starting January 2, 2024 into July 31, 2024.  There are two phases of the program:

  1. An online Educational Phase that totals 96 hours. This includes 8 modules to be completed on Canvas.
  2. An Experiential Learning portion that toals 30 hours. This includes 5 hours of observation, 15 hours of mock interpreting work which includes 5 asynchronous mock interpreting scenarios which focus on body systems and healthcare interactions, and 10 hours of case consultation to be completed online with an assigned Supervisor. All work is completed on GoReact platform and other video platforms.

Cohort Phase Timeline

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, Hard of Hearing, 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, GoReact.
  • 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 who complete the cohort track in its entirety will earn 12.6 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-directed track. Check out our self-directed page!

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Meet the Team

LaTanya E. Jones

LaTanya E. Jones

MSM, NIC, MSW, MEd, Principal Investigator/Project Director

LaTanya is a nationally certified sign language interpreter with seventeen years of experience. She has worked in many professional and video relay settings and specializes in healthcare interpreting. Currently, she is the Principal Investigator and Project Director of Project Level Up: Increasing Healthcare Interpreter Competencies at the CATIE Center of St. Catherine University in St. Paul, MN. LaTanya is an adjunct professor in the Interpreter Education Program at the Community College of Philadelphia and has taught at the University of Southern Maine and Camden County College. She presents nationally on topics and issues concerning the sign language interpreting profession.

In addition to interpreting, LaTanya is a pre-licensed professional who offers LGBT+ knowledgeable, trauma-focused psychotherapy, Brainspotting, and problem gambling counseling services to individuals over 18.

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, and continued her studies in ASL Linguistics at Gallaudet University. She had earned a Master of Science in Management from Rosemont College and a Master of Social Work and a Master of Education in Human Sexuality from Widener University.

LaTanya enjoys giving back by volunteering her time and talents. As such, LaTanya sat on the board of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) as the Member at Large, served as the Region I Representative for RID, and served on the board of the District of Columbia’s chapter of the National Alliance of Black Interpreters (NAOBI-DC). LaTanya served as the president of the Pennsylvania Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (PARID). In addition, she serves on the Bylaws and Professional Development committees for the Delaware Valley Association of Black Psychologists (DVABPsi), on the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG), and the American Association of Sexuality Counselors, Educators, and Therapists (AASECT). LaTanya holds several professional memberships in organizations focusing on interpreting, Deaf advocacy, Social Work, and mental, behavioral, and sexual health.

In her free time, LaTanya enjoys reading, cooking, learning Arabic, and spending time with family and friends.

Paula MacDonald

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

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.

Anaya Mitra

Anaya Mitra

MPH, Ph.D., Evaluator

Anaya is associate professor of psychology at St. Catherine University. Her area of specialization is biological psychology and she received her doctorate from the University of Florida. Her doctoral work examined the impact of maternal obesity on fetal development, using a rodent model. She also holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Florida. Her master’s thesis examined smoking cessation outcomes at the local public health department, following dissemination of information regarding the adverse effects of smoking on one’s health and on one’s wallet. Following her doctoral work, she did a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Minnesota and the Veterans Administration Medical Center. She has been on the faculty at St. Catherine University since 2011, and she joined the CATIE Center in 2017. Anaya’s research interests include neural regulation of energy intake and expenditure and understanding the sociocultural and environmental factors which influence food intake and physical activity. She is also interested in, and learning more about, factors which influence maternal health, especially as they pertain to malnutrition, obesity, and infertility.

Endings and Beginnings

Click on ‘Endings and Beginnings’ to read more about CATIE Center’s announcement on our two new grant projects; Project Level-Up and Dive-In