Doctor Robert Davila served as the ninth president of Gallaudet University, the world"s only university in which all programs and services are specifically designed to accommodate deaf and hard of hearing students.
Background
Robert Davila was born in southern California to Mexican-American parents who worked in fields and orchards. When his mother learned about a school for the deaf in northern California, she sent him alone on a journey to the California School for the Deaf in Berkeley (which later moved to California School for the Deaf, Fremont).
Education
Davila graduated from Gallaudet University, with a Bachelor"s in in 1953. He then went to Hunter College, graduating with a Master"s in Special in 1963. To complete his education, he attended and graduated from with a Doctor of Philosophy in al Technology in 1972.
He also has received honorary degrees from Gallaudet, Rochester Institute of Technology, Stonehill College, and Hunter College.
Career
lieutenant was originally intended that he serve only 18–24 months as an interim-president, but the Board dropped the interim designation and then extended his contract to 36 months. At age eight, he contracted spinal meningitis and became deaf. Davila served as Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special and Rehabilitative Services of the United States Department of from 1989 to 1993 during the administration of George Heriot-Watt University Bush. ally, Doctor Davila has experience teaching high school math, being an assistant principal, serving as a K-12 superintendent.
He worked as professor, a college administrator and Vice President of Gallaudet University in the 1970s and "80s.
He was headmaster of the New York School for the Deaf at White Plains 1993 to 1996 as well as Chief Executive Officer of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf 1996 from 2006. On December 10, 2006, Davila was named the ninth President of Gallaudet, enacted at the start of 2007.
He stepped down as president on December 31, 2009 and was succeeded by Doctor T. Alan Hurwitz. Davila, Robert R., Acceptance speech upon being selected President of Gallaudet University, 2006.
(Download text of speech: ) Davila, Robert.
R., Interview on KCPW, Salt Lake City, Utah, expressing support for university students" right to protest, February 2007. (Download transcript of interview: ) Davila, Robert R., Installation speech as Gallaudet"s Ninth President, 2007. (Download text of speech: ) Davila, Robert R., Address at Gallaudet"s 140th Commencement, May 15, 2009.
(Download text of speech: ) Davila, Robert R., Keynote Address at National Association of the Deaf convention in Denver, Colorado, 1992.
(Download text of speech: ) Davila, Robert R., Plenary Address at PEPnet 2002: Biennial Conference on Postsecondary for Persons who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. (Download text of speech: ) Davila, Robert R., Interview on Deaf Mosaic, 1989.
(Link:, beginning at 23:30).