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ALLIANCE - Former Mount Union professor Susan McConnell will share her own story of how her son's deafness put her on a path to learn and teach American Sign Language at 7 p.m. March 12 at Rodman Public Library.
McConnell's "A Personal Journey" is part of the 2024 One Book One Community program and registration is required to attend the event at rodmanlibrary.com.
A wife and mother of three children, McConnell will detail how an illness to her infant son 39 years ago caused him to lose his hearing and how she and her husband immersed themselves into learning sign language, despite contrary advice from doctors.
A teacher in the Boardman schools for 20 years, McConnell incorporated ASL into her teaching, and after retiring, took a position teaching ASL at the University of Mount Union, where she also started an ASL Club.
Now fully retired, McConnell is also the grandmother of seven, including a grandson who is deaf.
McConnell's family story has similarities to that found in "Song for a Whale," the 2024 OBOC selection written by Lynne Kelly, who will visit Alliance March 21.
The One Book One Community program is supported by the Friends of Rodman Public Library, Greater Alliance Foundation, and University of Mount Union.