September 28, 2009
Austin, Texas.- Gallaudet University announced today a Texas leader among new appointees chosen to join the University’s board of trustees.
Claire Bugen, superintendent and chief executive officer of the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) will serve a three-year term as trustee on Gallaudet University’s board, which holds policy-making authority, management of and funding responsibility for the University. Gallaudet University - located in Washington D.C. - is the world leader in liberal education and career development for deaf and hard of hearing undergraduate students.
Bugen, who has lead TSD since 1998 and began her tenure at the school as a principal in 1976, has more than 30 years in credentials serving in administrative roles for schools and programs for deaf students. Active in professional organizations her entire career, Bugen served as president and secretary of the Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf (CAID) and the Conference of Educational Administrators of Schools and Programs for the Deaf (CEASD). Bugen presently chairs CEASD’s Accreditation of Schools Committee and serves as a member of CEASD’s Government Relations Committee. Bugen was instrumental in the development of the National Agenda for the Education of Deaf Students - a coalition of parent, consumer, professional, and advocacy organizations working to develop an effective, communication-driven educational delivery system for deaf students. Her recent awards include Outstanding Women in Texas Government and the Robert R. Davila award for meritorious contributions to the field of deafness, presented by CEASD.
In response to today’s announcement, former TSD Valedictorian Christopher Kearney (’07) who is now attending Gallaudet University wrote to Mrs. Bugen, “…I am sending you my heartfelt congratulations! Thank you for all that you do because your endeavors help to push the bar higher for all of us!”
The Texas School for the Deaf is the oldest continuously operating public school in Texas. Educating deaf and hard of hearing students of Texas since 1857, the campus also provides outreach and educational resources for students, their families and professionals throughout the state of Texas. With educational excellence and a strong belief in a culture and community at TSD, students form a unique identity based on their individual strengths and talents. TSD is an environment where students learn, grow, and belong.
To learn more about Gallaudet University, visit http://www.gallaudet.edu/.