Deaf Missions Christian Interpreters Conference 2015

The next Deaf Missions Christian Interpreters Conference is coming soon! The conference starts at noon on Thursday afternoon, April 16, and runs until 9:00 on Saturday evening, April 18, 2015. It will be held once again at First Christian Church, 20794 Hwy 92, in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The church is less than a mile from Deaf Missions.

Featured Presenters: 
Our presenters for the Thursday evening banquet and morning sessions on Friday and Saturday are Lance Forshay and Carol Tipton. Lance is the Senior Lecturer at the University of Washington and a nationally-known Deaf educator. Carol is a nationally-known interpreter trainer and an Associate Professor at the Community College of Baltimore County-Catonsville.

Workshops: 
A new feature at this year’s event are two pre-conference workshops that will meet from 1:00 to 4:00 on Thursday afternoon at Deaf Missions. Those who wish to arrive early can take advantage of this opportunity to choose from one of two workshops being led by Carol Tipton and Bill Ross. There will also be a choice of two extended six-hour workshops on Friday and Saturday, in addition to the choice of three elective workshops in each of the three workshop sessions on Friday and Saturday. More information about these workshops will be announced later.

If you attend all the sessions, including the pre-conference workshops, you can potentially earn 1.95 CEUs. More information will be available once CEUs are approved.

Housing: 
Our conference hotels this year are the Microtel Inn and Suites and the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Council Bluffs. You must make your own hotel reservations and mention the Deaf Missions Christian Interpreters Conference to receive the discounted rate.

The cost at the Microtel Inn and Suites is $70 per night (plus tax). Online reservations are not possible at this time, but you can call the hotel directly at 712-256-2900 to reserve a room. The cost at the Fairfield Inn and Suites is $95 per night (plus tax). You may make reservations by calling the hotel at 712-366-1330. Click here to reserve a room online at the discounted rate. One to four people can sleep in each room, depending on the room you choose. Both hotels serve a complimentary breakfast.

Shuttle Service:
Deaf Missions will again offer shuttle service from the airport to the hotels and from the hotels to Deaf Missions and First Christian Church throughout the conference. This year, we will charge a nominal ticket price to ride the shuttle. Not only will this help to offset the cost, it will also let us know exactly how many seats we need to provide to and from each of the hotels. Though the price has not yet been set, you can estimate it will be around $25 for the entire conference. More information will be available closer to the conference, including information for reserving a seat on the shuttle. You are also welcome to drive your own vehicle to the church or carpool with others.

Student Ambassadors: 
If you are a full-time interpreting or Deaf Ministry student, and would like to work at the conference in exchange for complimentary registration and housing, you may apply by filling out the online registration form section for Student Ambassadors. You will still be able to attend most of the workshop times and main sessions, and will get a unique behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to put on a conference. A limited number of Student Ambassadors will be chosen and will be announced in January, so don’t delay!

Working Conference Interpreters:
The conference will be fully accessible to deaf and hearing participants. To make this possible, we will need multiple working interpreters. If you are a certified interpreter and would like to be considered as one of the conference interpreters, please fill out the Interpreter Ticket on the online registration form. Some interpreters will work only a few hours, and some will work extensively throughout the conference. The only compensation offered is a complimentary or discounted registration (determined by the amount of time you commit to work).