Interpreting in Higher Education: American Sign Language-English Interpreters' Experience of the Structural and...

It is well known that there are not enough American Sign Language-English interpreters in the United States to meet demand. Many interpreters leave the field early in their careers, causing a need for more available, trained, and qualified interpreters. Studies have identified the physical and mental demands of interpreting, as well as burnout, as significant factors contributing to the high turnover rate in the field. Although we are aware of this problem as professionals, we have yet to address why interpreters leave. There is also a need for more setting-specific research over special areas of interpreting, such as in a collegiate environment. This article presents a case study of seven former and current collegiate interpreters and their structural and cultural experiences at a university in the South Central United States. Significant findings include demanding occupational experiences, including the poorly designed contracting structure of the position, a cognitively demanding workload, advocacy and care work roles, and a lack of information and resources.