From the newsroom of the NTID News (National Technical Institute for the Deaf), Rochester, New York, Monday, November 17, 2008 .....

RIT/NTID Educator Awarded International Honor

Minoru Yoshida (left, a graduate of RIT/NTID and a former PEN-International employee) along with Pat DeCaro, Jim DeCaro, Maki Honda of the Nippon Foundation of Japan, and Bill Clymer, PEN-International's associate director, at the award ceremony in Tokyo.

Professor James J. DeCaro, director of Postsecondary Education Network-International (PEN- International) at the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology, received the 2008 Contribution to Society Award Monday from Japan's Foundation for Encouragement of Social Contribution.

The ceremony took place in Tokyo where DeCaro received the award from Japan's Imperial Highness Prince Hitachi.

The award, presented to 50 individuals worldwide, recognizes significant contributions to society in areas such as social welfare, education, international cooperation, lifesaving, and conservation. DeCaro was honored for his contributions to the education of deaf-and-hard of hearing people around the world.

DeCaro is one of only five non-Japanese recipients.

"I can think of no other individual in the field of deaf education more deserving of this award than my good friend and valued colleague, Jim DeCaro," said T. Alan Hurwitz, president of RIT's NTID. "It is a wonderful tribute to a long-time advocate for equal educational opportunities for young people with hearing loss."

PEN-International, founded in 2001, is a multinational partnership of colleges and universities worldwide dedicated to improving and expanding postsecondary education for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals around the world. PEN-International has 18 partner and affiliate institutions and 16 institutional members and is funded by grants from The Nippon Foundation of Japan.

"I'm honored to receive this award," said DeCaro, "and I hope that PEN-International's efforts will continue to reap benefits for talented young deaf adults seeking opportunities to attend college and find meaningful employment."

DeCaro has worked in the field of education of deaf students since 1971. He is an Honorary Citizen of Tianjin, China and recently was named Ambassador of Goodwill for Disabled People by the city. He also is an honorary professor at Tianjin University of Technology.

He has received the De La Salle Brothers of the Philippine District Presidential Medallion and was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from Bauman Moscow State Technical University in Russia.

In 2007, he received the RIT Four Presidents Community Service Award as well as the inaugural Rochester Hearing and Speech Center James J. DeCaro Leadership Award.

He was a Fulbright Senior Scholar at Orebro University in Sweden in 1999 and a Rotary Foundation Educator of the Handicapped Scholar at University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, in 1980.

DeCaro and his wife, Patricia Mudgett-DeCaro, reside in Pittsford.

Copyright © 2008 Rochester Institute of Technology. All rights reserved.

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