Mikki Simpson Professional Development Fund
The Mikki Simpson Professional Development Fund supports interpreters by offering a stipend to offset some of the costs of taking required credentialing tests. This fund is primarily supported by generous donations from our members, the public, and by the NCRID Board and its regions. Up to 7 stipends may be issued per membership year, with each being a one-time stipend in the amount of $100, following an application to the Fund and the submission of a passing score on either the written or performance portion of CASLI or BEI testing.
Background
Eileen "Mikki" Simpson was a leader in the field of Deaf education in NC and beyond, with a dedication to her students, colleagues, and profession.
Mrs. Simpson, who was Deaf, received her undergraduate degree from Augustana College in Illinois, took teacher training at Gallaudet University in 1954 and 1955 and received a Masters from the California State University at Northridge ("CSUN") in 1974. After beginning her teaching career at the Louisiana School for the Deaf, she moved to Morganton in 1957 to teach at the North Carolina School for the Deaf. Mrs. Simpson also later worked at CSUN for a year as a guidance counselor before returning to NCSD to work in a variety of teaching and administrative positions until her retirement in 1994. In 1984, she was honored as Educator of the Year by the Southeast Regional Institute on Deafness. Mrs. Simpson was active in a variety of community activities and nonprofit organizations at the local, state and national level, including the National Association of the Deaf (where she served on the Board), the NC Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and the Gallaudet University Alumni Association. She was named the first female President of the NC Association of the Deaf in 1981.
Criteria
To be eligible to receive a stipend from the Mikki Simpson Fund, applicants must:
Be a member of NCRID for 12 consecutive months prior to applying
Submit passing results on the written or performance portion of either a CASLI or BEI exam
Have not received a stipend from the Mikki Simpson Fund in the past
This fund excludes stipend payment for the EIPA examination; our Antwan Campbell Educational Interpreter Fund supports educational interpreters.
Process
The process for application and the awarding of stipends is as follows:
Applicant receives assessment results
Applicant submits application to Mikki Simpson Fund within 45 days of receiving exam results (below)
Applicant will receive an automated reply that NCRID has received your submission
NCRID will review application and render a decision within around 30 days
NCRID will inform applicant of decision, and issue stipend payment
