Sara graduated in 2013 from an ITP and rose to the top in record time. Sara dedicated herself to the field of interpreting and is now a full-time faculty member for Columbus State Community College. How did she do this?? Listen to hear Sara's journey on how she is becoming successful in both the teaching and interpreting arenas. Sara's humility and wisdom will enlighten all who listen. Thank you for joining me!
Sara graduated in 2013 from an ITP and rose to the top in record time. Sara dedicated herself to the field of interpreting and is now a full-time faculty member for Columbus State Community College. How did she do this?? Listen to hear Sara's journey on how she is becoming successful in both the teaching and interpreting arenas. Sara's humility and wisdom will enlighten all who listen. Thank you for joining me!
Hello, good evening. Welcome to Tina's podcast. Tonight I have a special guest. I say that about all my guests, I guess because they're also special to me. But Sara Yurkovich is a former student of mine, and a very successful interpreter. And just so happened that when I retired last year, Sarah was the one that I was so happy that she was chosen to fill the spot that I had had. So Sarah, I want to welcome you here tonight. And I thank you so much for coming to this podcast.
Sara:Thank you so much for having me, Tina.
Tina:I'm excited for you to be here. And I'm excited for everybody to hear how successful you are. And the whole point of this is for you to help me and to help all of those who are either about to graduate or who's just recently graduate. How the heck do we get into this field called interpreting? Now I know Sara, when you were a student at Columbus State, you were very active, very active in the field. I mean, wherever there was a deaf person, it seemed like Sara was there. And I'm sure that's the secret to most of your success. But can you kind of let's take us back a little bit to when and where did you graduate?
Sara:Sure. So I graduated from Columbus state's interpreting program in 2013. And then, later on, I went back to school at William Woods University, and got a Bachelors of Science in interpretation studies in ASL and English. In graduated in 2019. Wow. Oh, and news for you, Tina. I just got accepted into graduate school for another interpreting degree for teaching interpreting from Western Oregon University.
Tina:Awesome. Congratulations. So cute. Sara is a awesome instructor. She and I co taught together and just acts excellent with the students. I think you have a great rapport with the students. And I think you connect very well. So that's going to be even a bigger feather in your cap. Sara, congratulations. Good for you. So tell me, I want to know what caused you or what enticed you to want to become an interpreter?
Sara:That's a great question. I had taken ASL in high school. So I had a familiarity with the language. And I was lucky to have a wonderful teacher. He took us to volunteer at Columbus colony when I was a high school student. And so I got to meet promoter get folks when I was a high school student. And then I went to work in another field. And really, with kind of the economic crash in 2008 and 2009, I got laid off, and I wasn't sure what to do with my life. So I went back to school at Columbus State and started taking ASL classes and realized that that's what I wanted to do. And as soon as I started taking interpreting classes, I knew it was definitely what I wanted to do. I liked the variety. I liked the challenge. I like the people I was meeting that were interpreters. So I decided that that's what I wanted to do.
Tina:So in high school, you you started in a high school program. Was there ever a time in your life where you had friends that were deaf? Or you let kids other you know, classmates that were deaf?
Sara:Yeah, my mom tells me the story of going when I was apparently when I was like three and four, but my best friend at preschool was deaf. Wow. Which I don't recall myself, honestly. And then one of my friends in high school had deaf parents. And so we took ASL together and hung out with our parents. And yeah, I know, other deaf people in my community. I took a community ASL class before I even took ASL in high school from a Deaf woman. Well, yeah,
Tina:good. Well, so you graduated, you said in 2013. So where did that graduation lead you to? What did you did you have any jobs right away? And so what did you do right after you graduated?
Sara:Well, I did keep my other job for a bit after becoming an interpreter, just to kind of gain my footing. But I did a lot of networking towards the end of my schooling, and met a lot of folks that ran different agencies or did independent contracting as interpreters. So when I graduated, I had interviews lined up. I pretty much immediately started contracting for Deaf Services Center. Shortly after that HallenRoss and Associates as well, interpreting plus, and I got hired at Sorenson doing video relay service interpreting as well. So that'll happen pretty quickly in that first summer after I graduated.
Tina:Oh, that's, that's quite an accomplishment for somebody who just recently graduated. So you just said it that you already it sounds like to me before you graduated, or even during the last semester, you were preparing yourself to go out into the field because I've, you know, both I think you and I have heard students say, you know, the day they graduate, it's like, Okay, now what? So are you? And is the program, preparing them to go out? And what kind of things are you encouraging them to do during their last semester?
Sara:Sure. It's been really tough. COVID be black, you know, the last year and a half, quite honestly, with a graduate play feel really badly for them. A lot of it is what was going on. I know, with me, at least one of my interpreting classes advanced interpreting, we've tried to invite folks that run different employment options for interpreters to come be guest speakers in our classes. Because we can't have kind of a traditional job fair, like we've had in the past, or go out to visit these places very easily. So inviting folks to come in and talk about their workplace and what their expectations are for interpreters, which and let our students ask questions and kind of make their first impression on these hiring managers. So trying to do that, trying to encourage people to volunteer still, where they're able to, and make connections in that way. And, of course, certainly treating their internships, like their job interviews, and hope that they get hired by those folks. And well,
Tina:exactly, the whole volunteering aspect is really challenged, been challenged by COVID. Getting out on both, you know, in that air in that area of Columbus, those students are pretty darn lucky. I mean, there's a lot of places where they could go, but just unfortunately, with a senior citizen center, and all that's been closed down and just really challenging for students, what are they doing instead,
Sara:some of them are volunteering in administrative capacities for nonprofits, and organizations that are serving the deaf community, like the wave. I know several of our students are volunteering with them, and doing kind of administrative office thing for them that I believe that they're even completing from home most of the time, which is sad, because they're not getting the same level of interaction that they would get from going into the office and visiting with everybody. But I think they're still getting some of that, and at least some of that over zoom as well. You know, but it's tough. Occasionally, there'll be an event that does want our students to volunteer, which is wonderful. But, you know, some of our students aren't able physically, you know, regarding their own health aren't able to go to those events, or they're trying to keep a limited number of people at an event. So it has been really challenging for sure.
Tina:Yeah. I feel like though, the the way of teaching that we're doing now from video to video kind of prepares them a little better for VRS interpreting?
Sara:Absolutely. I've told our students that you've got a real leg up when it comes to interpreting in 2d Oh, because, you know, my whole class, and I'm sure everyone who came before us, we were thrown off by interpreting videos, because we were so used to having that 3d aspect. And these are pros, with I think it will benefit them in the long run.
Tina:Well, I, I believe that too, I think, you know, see, I mean, all the VRS agencies are really, you know, shooting up, they're hiring and trying to get more people hired into those fields. And so, I believe, and you know, I've even said that to students, like, I struggled teaching my first video, you know, class, and they're like, you know, what's the big deal? Or I'm like, I'm really struggling with this. You know, I, I don't know how we should look, when we're teaming. I don't know what it looks like. And you know, we would bring in guest what we would sometimes we'd have interpreters in our class because I co taught with one of the other instructors who is deaf. And so we would have interpreters in the class and I to be honest with you, I was learning from them just as much as the students. And they were doing such a beautiful, effective job. And it was just like, okay, look, this has happened naturally, these two interpreters are working in this class, let's just watch them because, you know, they were doing an awesome job. And I struggled with that at first because I want that real person right beside me. And it's just that that's just not how it is. So yeah,
Sara:definitely a whole new world of teaming, you know, for all of us working remotely. And for students learning that way, for sure. You know, we've had to kind of fumble and figure out best practices as we go, because they didn't exist.
Tina:Exactly. Yeah. Do you think that has? Yeah,
Sara:I think definitely, because most of the time, unless you're using the chat, the private chat function of zoom or some other third party chat thing It's really transparent to our consumers that's happening. And I like transparency. I'm all about transparency. So it doesn't bother me. But I think it throws off some of our students or some of our newer interpreters in our field, when they're receiving a feed from an interpreter, and everybody can see that that's happening or hear that that's happening, I think it can be intimidating. And so I've been trying to kind of reinforce for our students and our practicum students, everything that whatever it takes to make effective work product is worth doing, you know, even if it is a minor moment of embarrassment for us to be, you know, have everybody see that we need help. But it definitely is a lot more obvious, when we're relying on one another than it ever has been, I think we can just lean over and elbow somebody and whisper, or whatever it
Tina:might be, but definitely feels much more intrusive. When I'm feeding another interpreter, it just, it just doesn't feel smooth. And, you know, it's like, I have to like call out your mistake, or call out my mistake, because you have to speak over me. And so it feels a little more intrusive, but I think eventually it will get to the point where, okay, we were used to this, I think, a really good tip, I picked up one time. i The interpreters were working, and it was like trying to figure out how to get switched and going. And they they had Sticky, sticky pad thingies. And they held them up. And it was like, oh, so that, you know, they held up like a yellow one, it was like this so that it was visually obvious to the other interprets time to switch. I thought oh, my gosh, so simple was that? You know, and I think those are things we're going to eventually find out that, you know, it's not as challenging. It's just that it's different. And sometimes that's just hard to get used to. So okay, so no, go ahead, please.
Sara:I was gonna say, I've noticed a really big difference to working virtually like that with folks that I already know and trust and have worked with elsewhere. And folks that I don't have that relationship with. Because, you know, if you and I were teaming on Zoom, and you unmuted to talk over me, I would trust that you knew exactly what you needed to do. And that you were doing, you know you're doing it's helped me, but if I don't know that the other interpreter has the skill to do that. Well, or if I don't trust that they have my best interests at heart or whatever it might be, then it can feel really different. You know, I think we're on ingesting,
Tina:do you think that it's just going to even let's just say COVID? Just like done today, which would be awesome. Do you think people are going to stick with this platform of communicating with each other via Zoom and this and that you think it's just going to become a way of the future in the employment field?
Sara:Yeah, I do, I think we'll go back to a lot more interesting stuff than we have presently. But I think a lot of stuffs gonna stay online. And you know, a lot of workplaces have sent their people to be remote and are not going to recall them. You know, my husband, for one. He's had a job for several years. And they send everybody home temporarily. And now it's permanent, he doesn't ever have to go back to the office. And I'm sure there's plenty of other people like that, you know, deaf people working in these positions, where now they're going to be calling into every zoom calling into every team's meeting, whatever. And many interpreters, you know,
Tina:kind of forced the colleges into that as well. Because you know how many times I know the colleges really liked these, you know, where students can do these online courses. And I think people were just afraid to it. And this kind of just pushed us into it. And it's like, well, well, that may not have been so bad. After all, kind of wish we would have done that. I think people are finding that out in many fields. I know. I think all of my kids but my one daughter, because she works at a bank, but the rest of immoral working from home and there's no no expectation of them going back into the brick and mortar at all. Interesting. Yeah.
Sara:A lot changed for
Tina:sure did. Yeah. Yeah. Which Sure did. So you're certified. Am I correct? Yes. And when did that happen?
Sara:That was in 2015.
Tina:Okay, so you graduated in 2013 and in 2015. You became certified? They did? How did you do that?
Sara:Wow, they were putting a moratorium on the test. They announced, they already announced in the summer of 2015 that they were going to pause the test for an unknown period of time. So I went ahead and signed up for it not having any idea whether or not I'd pass it, but wanting to get in there before they put it on moratorium for a year or two. And so I took it in November of 2015 and passed. I think my kind of attitude of well, this is either a very expensive practice test, or I'll pass my attitude kind of let me be a little more calm about it than I was otherwise,
Tina:so we can say typically a student who's just graduated in two years. You know, taking that test probably was a pretty overwhelming feeling to begin with. But I don't think that is typical for a student who has already been graduated two years to become certified. Now, I'm not saying it wouldn't happen, because obviously it did. But most students, or most recent graduates would not try. And you sound like you were kind of forced into it. But let me just say, Sara, you had to have the skill to get that certification. So tell me how you. Absolutely. And how did you prepare yourself with to prepare your skills, obviously, you were doing a lot of, you know, stuff in the field, and you got hired into some pretty nice positions there. So tell me how you how your skills got to be so good.
Sara:Practice, practice, practice. Yeah, I mean, even as a student, I was always practicing outside of class, I knew that that I wanted to be really good at this work. And so even once I was out working in the community, as an interpreter, I was still practicing with videos at my house, I'm still asking colleagues of mine to watch them and give me feedback. Because I knew I wanted to be good at this. So I would say for that test, I mean, I did have the practice DVD for the test. And I tried to practice it in a way that was true to how the real test was set up. But we spent that time by timing myself and filming myself and not pausing it or anything. Really, I think the part that I focused most on with practice was the, at that time, there were questions that were ethical questions at the beginning that you needed to answer in NFL. And that was the part I was worried about most, I think was considering the situations and responding in ASL in ways that made sense, and followed ASL grammar norms. And so that was what I practiced. A lot of myself, I did a lot of filming myself responding to ethical questions. But now my understanding is that those questions have been moved to the written test, that some of that is no longer kind of in play. But I think just getting to the point where that interpreting is, is fairly routinized, you know, where you're not having to overthink every little decision, because you've practiced, and you've spent enough time in conversation, and using ASL as a primary language that you can form full sentences without having to think about it. You know,
Tina:it sounds like you just put yourself out there like to just ask people to watch my work, you know, just to keep doing keep doing it, you know, that just kind of put yourself out there. And I think it really paid off for you. I really do.
Sara:Yeah, I agree. And I'm very lucky to have lovely colleagues and friends who are not just friendly in my friends, but are fantastic interpreters that I can look up to, and that I can go to for feedback and ask those kinds of questions. So
Tina:having a good support, a good support system is extremely important. And, and not just waiting until you're about to graduate. But start formulating those as you're going through the program. I know it was it's just too easy sometimes to say, you know, next semester, next semester, and it's like, you know, next semester, next semester usually ends up being graduation. And you're like, Whoa, how did I get here? I'm not ready. You know, and at that point, you know, it's time to have a lot of that foundation built in. So that's awesome. Now you currently are teaching, as I already said, at Columbus State. So how's that going for you?
Sara:Good. I mean, COVID happened my second semester there as a full time instructor. So it you know, it was a while it's been a wild ride, I would say. But overall, it's going pretty well. You know, I've gotten used to teaching online quite a bit. It's been really nice to have so much of my time available to be focused on teaching and coming up with lesson plans and meeting with students and things like that, you know, previously, I was an adjunct, and I had very little time outside of class to do some of the things so it's been really nice.
Tina:Good. I have one more question for you. So tell me Is there one thing that you say, Oh, I wish I would have done that differently.
Sara:I'm gonna say that I wish that I had gotten involved in volunteering in the deaf community and not just volunteering, but also just like attending events going to social things earlier. I think that was something I certainly got in But I felt like I had to wait until I had a certain amount of language competence in ASL. That took me a really long time to feel like I had that. And I wish that I had taken advantage more of opportunities that were available to me when my language was still not really up to snuff, because I now know looking back that I would have still been welcomed, I would have still had useful things to do in those situations. And I think I was nervous about not being fluent in ASL. And it held me back from a lot of opportunities that I could have taken. And that's, you know, something I try to pass on to my students, I try to tell them like, even occurred as a one year NFL to go to some social things, volunteer at something they'll put you at, you know, you can stand up a door and stand people's hands, you don't have to be doing something really complex, that you can't actually communicate about NFL yet to be, you know, in the community around folks actually picking up AFL and its natural habitat instead of in a classroom. Yeah, I wish I had done that more.
Tina:And I can imagine that dad hat would have to be nerve wracking as a coder. You know, it's like, what's the big deal? Well, the big deal is, you know, you don't know that culture yet. You're, and that's why you do it, so that you become familiar with it. You know, we know Deaf people, it's like, you know, gosh, if they're gonna come in and ask me my name on my favorite color, what's my hobby, and what's my parents name and their birthday? Again, but, you know, I think when a deaf person knows you and your face was probably very familiar to a lot of the deaf community, you've got an in, you've got trust. And it sounds like that what you developed was that trust between yourself in the community. And that's very, and we know how important that trust that trust is. And I think that one, I want to ask you, is there anything else that you would like to tell a student who's about to graduate? Is there anything else that we left out that you think, Ah, I really want them to know, this
Sara:probably is going to sound a little bit like a broken record, especially if any of my students listen to this. But the time you put into interpreting is what you're going to get out of it. Like you can't just go to class, and just go to your interpreting jobs, or just go to your interpreting internship, you have to make a conscientious practice effort to continue improving. And I truly believe that,
Tina:and I think that's, that's spot on. Absolutely. Sara, thank you so much. I appreciate you coming and taking the time to share your thoughts and your successes, it's so good to see you be so successful. It's just it thrills me to see it. And I'm so excited for you. And I know our students, and I say our students, because that's of course, where I retired from our students are much even better off with you being there. And I think it's nice to have somebody who has been so successful to show them that look. It not easy, absolutely not easy, but very doable. And I think you are the epitome of the doable. So I appreciate you coming, our calling me and giving us all this advice, and it's good to hear your voice and I wish you even much more success. Thank you for joining us, ladies and gentlemen. And I just hope that you've learned something tonight from Sarah and I know I have she's taught me a lot. I've been in this field a lot longer than she has and I learned a lot from her probably more than she did for me. Sara, thank you so much. And thank you to our listening audience.