Around MSD - Maryland School for the Deaf

By Frank By By Christy Albert Schwartz, Lee Hediger, Tharpe his son Senior III, Senior
Van Marissa Alden Brewer, Diane Clopper, ‘71 ‘01
Marissa Clopper, an esteemed
MSD alumna, graduated in
2001 and is now a licensed
Physician Assistant. She became deaf
when she was just a few weeks old
because of the antibiotics given to her
due to her premature birth, and she
enrolled in MSD’s pre-kindergarten
program in 1987.
One of Marissa’s fondest memories
of MSD was the time when she met
prominent members of the science
community at a space exploration
conference at American University.
She met Bill Nye the Science Guy and
Buzz Aldrin, the second man to set
foot on the moon. Marissa also recalls
going to New York City for a weekend
with Ms. Lorraine Stoltz’s art history
class to explore the art museums.
When she was in high school, she
took Advanced Placement English
under our now-principal, Kevin
Strachan, and remembers attending
several Shakespeare performances. “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream” was one
of her favorites.
Marissa’s role models include
both of her parents and her mater-
nal grandfather. Her parents are
her main source of encouragement,
always telling her to do her best, to
keep trying, and never to give up.
Marissa’s grandfather suffered from
heart problems and would always
tell her about them. He was also the
one who gave her books
about the human body.
Her personal experiences
also piqued her
interest in the field of
medicine as she had
a twin brother who
passed away due to
underdeveloped lungs
when they were just
seven months old.
After graduating
from MSD, Marissa
went on to the Rochester
Institute of Technology
(RIT) for four years
where she graduated in 2005. During
her years at RIT and after graduating,
Marissa took several classes
at Frederick Community College
and Hood College in Frederick,
Maryland. In 2008, Marissa went to
Marissa Clopper in 2010
Marissa D. Clopper
as senior in 2001
MSD Alumni Profile
Philadelphia University where she
would be a student for two years. As
an undergraduate student, Marissa
majored in Biotechnology earning
a Bachelor of Science degree, and
as a graduate student, she majored
in Physician Assistant Studies and
earned a Master of
Science degree.
Though she was
raised by hearing parents,
the major barrier
Marissa faced in college
and still faces in her life
today is communication
with hearing individuals.
Sometimes she
finds herself frustrated
when she is not able to
understand others or
when she is not able to
make herself understood
to them. Marissa uses
interpreters, especially in group settings.
Because of her deafness, some
people in her field doubt Marissa’s
ability to perform her job. But to this
day, Marissa continues to prove those
people wrong.
To all students at MSD, Marissa
says, “Go for your dreams and never
let anything hold you back. Do the
best you can and enjoy what you
do.” And for the students who are
interested in the field of medicine,
she recommends, “Explore the various
professions in health care such
as audiology, physical therapy, and
nursing. Ask medical professionals
and students, especially those who are
deaf or hard-of-hearing, about their
experiences and how they achieved
their dreams. Check out the Association
of Medical Professionals with Hearing
Loss at www.amphl.org. It is full of
information for those who are interested
in working in one of the health
professions and also a wonderful tool
for networking and advocacy.” MB
WWW.MSD.EDU39