Hearing the call to sign

From the moment you start talking with Marissa Pellis, you know she is authentic.

Young, articulate and passionate, Pellis recalls always wanting to be a veterinarian — to the point her family averted roadkill to avoid her tears at the age of 2. 

But it was a random encounter at a local vet clinic where she worked in high school that would eventually drive her to bring a Veterinary Medical American Sign Language (ASL) Course to Auburn’s College of Veterinary Medicine (CVM). 

Thanks to  CVM’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs Dr. Melinda Camus and the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind’s Lindsay Kekoolani who supported course creation, Pellis can now communicate with her Deaf clientele, better serving members of the Deaf community and their pets. 

A need for better communication  

Pellis innately desired to work in veterinary clinics since the age of 13. That passion did not falter following her arrival at The University of Findlay as an undergraduate, where she not only earned an animal science degree but also took her first ASL course. 

“I was working at a vet clinic in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, my hometown, and I was dispatched to an interpreter for a Deaf client, and I did not know what to do,” said Pellis. “I had to transfer the call to a more experienced customer service representative.” 

Not knowing how to handle the call stuck with her, so she took an introductory ASL course at the Findlay with Professor Leah Brant, who validated the need for veterinary clinics to be able to effectively communicate with the Deaf community. 

Following Pellis’ start at Auburn, she wanted to keep her skills fresh and take ASL community classes at the Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) but found it difficult with her demanding schedule. 

“At Findlay, Dr. Brant and I talked often about the lack of ASL representation within the vet profession,” Pellis said. “In my second year at Auburn, those conversations were weighing heavily on my heart, but I did not know how to address the need.”

From concept to reality 

She landed on approaching Camus to see if she could start an ASL club or elective for CVM students. Camus was immediately receptive. 

With the support of Dr. Anne Wooldridge, head of the Department of Clinical Sciences, and faculty member Dr. Jenna Bayne, establishing the elective was easily accomplished. 

“Marissa identified a need and a potential solution,” said Camus. “I will support any initiative that makes health care more accessible.” 

Pellis connected Camus with Kekoolani, an ASL instructor at AIDB, and Pellis’ concept quickly moved from concept to reality, with the ASL elective launching in fall 2024.

“For Dr. Camus to have understood the need for this course, to be so receptive and then to help bring it to fruition is very special,” said Pellis. 

A focus on the Deaf community

Kekoolani built the course from scratch, and 12 eager third-year CVM students enrolled last fall.

“I tailored the course to vet students, focusing the content on medical and veterinary terminology,” she said. “I also taught the students about Deaf culture and community, so they not only know the vocabulary but also how to interact with future Deaf clients.”

The course started with finger spelling and number signs, shared Pellis, progressed to medical signs and then incorporated signs to communicate full sentences, like “Your dog needs surgery.”

Students also learned options to best support the Deaf community like utilizing assistive listening devices or phone apps, as well as hiring an interpreter. 

“I’ve worked in 12 different clinics in three different states and never worked alongside a vet who offered these services,” said Pellis, confirming the need for spreading this information. 

In lieu of a two-hour final exam, Kekoolani allowed students to attend two Deaf community events to immerse themselves in Deaf culture. Pellis attended weekly Deaf Chat and AIDB’s annual DeaFestival, attended by hundreds in the Deaf community. 

This event was Pellis’ favorite aspect of the course.

“It was inspiring to be a hearing person fully immersed in Deaf culture and witness how vibrant their communication is,” she said 

Carrying awareness forward  

Pellis hopes the vet students will carry their new awareness to future work environments, encouraging practitioners to adopt better processes for Deaf clients and their pets. 

“Every county in the country has a Deaf community, and these clients have not received adequate care for pets due to this communication barrier,” said Pellis, who is on a mission to change that reality. 

After her experience teaching Auburn CVM students, Kekoolani is also optimistic for change. 

“I was impressed with the level of student involvement,” she said. “Their commitment to learning and engaging with the local Deaf community was incredible.” 

Pellis is one of those exceptional students. For her efforts with this initiative, Pellis rightfully earned the Merck Animal Health Diversity Leadership Scholarship, a $10,000 scholarship toward her academic career. 

Impact on people, pets 

Pellis, Kekoolani and Camus all want to see the ASL elective grow at Auburn and spread to other veterinary schools. It has already garnered attention from Auburn alumni and other colleges wanting to mimic its success.

“I would like to add an intermediate-level course for students wanting to build upon their language skills and understanding of the Deaf community,” said Kekoolani. 

Inspired by Pellis’ vision, Camus was quick to recognize the importance of this course. She now looks to the future. 

“By offering this course, Auburn has made veterinary health care more accessible and increased understanding in ways that will leave a lasting, immediate impact for our students, their future medical teams, and the Deaf community and its animals.”