Emily LeGros speaks in front of thousands of sports fans with only the movement of her hands.
LeGros, an Ohio State sign language instructor, leads the OSU American Sign Language Club in signing the national anthem at home football and men’s basketball games.
“That’s probably my favorite experience I’ve had at Ohio State,” LeGros said.
LeGros first became interested in learning sign language at a young age. While growing up in Michigan, she began to learn the language from the family who lived next door to her best friend. The mother and one child were able to hear, but the father and two children were deaf.
After moving to Ohio, LeGros attended middle school with a deaf student and started going to sign language club meetings. At Westerville North High School, LeGros took American Sign Language classes to meet her foreign language requirement.
“As a student, it opened up my eyes to a whole new world,” she said. “It didn’t set out as my dream, but it has become my passion.”
LeGros attributes the inspiration to pursue this passion to her high school teacher, Bobbi Bedinghaus.
“She has just been my role model, my hero,” LeGros said. “She definitely lit the spark in me.”
After teaching at Westerville North for one year and working as an interpreter, LeGros began her career at OSU. For the past six years, she has taken on the role as an adviser to the American Sign Language Club.
“It’s fun to work with students who share a passion for American Sign Language,” LeGros said.
One of her favorite memories with the club was a trip to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. Gallaudet is a liberal arts college that provides advanced education as well as programs and services for the deaf and hard of hearing.
LeGros and members of the club had the opportunity to sit in on classes and interact with the deaf students at the university.
“It is really rewarding to teach students about deaf culture and give them the tools to interact with a deaf person,” she said. “It helps bring down the wall between the deaf and the hearing community.”
LeGros has interpreted for small concerts and plays, but she aspires to help sign for larger theatrical performances.
“I would like to do artistic interpreting for plays and musicals,” LeGros said. “I would love to do a Broadway play.”
As she looks to the future, LeGros said she hopes to pass down her passion for sign language to her children.
“I want to teach my kids how to sign,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to this.”
