Biography
English Transcript:
Hello, I'm Megan Kupec. I grew up in northern Minnesota, but I'm currently living in Seattle, Washington. I will soon graduate from the University of Northern Colorado (UNCO) with a major in American Sign Language-English Interpretation. I have a minor in ASL, and I am also part of UNCO's Preparing School Interpreters Project. This means that the Office of Special Education Programs has given me a scholarship and the opportunity to take extra classes that focused on skills and knowledge in the area of school interpreting. With school interpreting as my concentration in this program, after graduation, I plan to become a school interpreter. I am interested in working in middle school classrooms because I think that is a fun age. I'm also interested in experiencing what it is like to work in other settings, such as interpreting for the theatre. I'm looking forward to having many different experiences once I start work. A big goal of mine is also to pass the RID National Certification exam, as well as the EIPA and BEI Certification exams. This is important to me because it will show the Deaf community and other interpreters that I have the skills and knowledge necessary to work and that I am qualified to do the job. When Deaf consumers see me arrive at a job as their interpreter, I want them to feel at ease knowing that they will be working with a qualified interpreter. My overall goal is to become an interpreter and a person whom they can consistently trust to provide quality communication access. Thank you!
Megan sits in front of a gray background wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck. She has shoulder-length, curly, brown hair with bangs and dark, round glasses. As she describes her background (see English transcript below), she maintains a friendly demeanor.
Philosophy of Interpreting
I decided to become an interpreter because I believe that access to information and communication is a basic human right. Every day, Deaf and hard of hearing individuals have to navigate a world where communication barriers are everywhere. I started learning ASL for fun and to learn a new skill. When COVID-19 hit, I quickly realized the inequalities that exist in communication access for the Deaf and hard of hearing community and the danger that is present when groups of people are denied access to information. ​
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Through the use of a variety of approaches, such as Dennis Cokely's Sociolinguistic Model of Interpreting, the Gish Model of Interpreting, the Integrated Model of Interpreting, the Demand-Control Schema, and Role Space Theory, I consider the entirety of the consumers I work with and how their life experiences and intersectionality impact their language use and communication. I approach each consumer individually and adjust my work to match their needs. Deeply rooted in the National Association of the Deaf-Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf's Code of Professional Conduct, my work prioritizes ethical practices so that all consumers are respected, feel a sense of collaboration throughout the interpreting process, and feel safe. Thank you.
Megan sits in front of a gray background wearing a black long-sleeved turtleneck. She has shoulder-length, curly, brown hair with bangs and dark, round glasses. As she describes her Philosophy of Interpreting (see English transcript above), she maintains a sincere demeanor.