04/21/2026
It is with deep sadness that the IDEAS Program family shares the news of the passing of Glenda Small — a foundational figure in interpreter education and a beloved member of our community.
Glenda’s connection to this work stretches back to 1990, when she helped lay the groundwork for what IDEAS is today. Through a federal grant focused on training educational interpreters, she shaped the early vision of this program — not just its curriculum, but its character. The students she mentored over those years have gone on to become accomplished professionals in the field, and every one of them carries something of Glenda with them.
What set Glenda apart was never just her instruction. It was her love. Her dedication to her students, her colleagues, and the Deaf community was the kind that doesn’t clock out. Even in retirement, she continued to give — returning to IDEAS as an adjunct, staying connected, remaining a life-changing presence for everyone who came into her orbit, right up until the end.
We mourn alongside her family, and we hold this loss together as a community.
IDEAS faculty are currently awaiting information from the family regarding arrangements, and we will be planning a time for all of us to gather and honor Glenda’s legacy. More details will be shared as they become available.
Her foundation is what we stand on. We carry it forward.
