Jami Hollingsworth, a senior instructor in the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s School of Counseling, Human Performance, and Rehabilitation, was recently honored for her longtime community service by the Arkansas Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

Hollingsworth received the Barbara E. Northup Excellence in Community Involvement Award at the nonprofit organization’s conference in Little Rock on June 20-22. The award is named in memory of Barbara E. Northup, a longtime instructor in UA Little Rock’s Interpreter Education program and member of the Arkansas Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf.

Since 1992, Hollingsworth has taught classes in UA Little Rock’s Bachelor of Arts in Interpretation: ASL/English and the Associate of Science in American Sign Language Studies programs.

“Jami is an amazing asset to the Deaf, Deaf-Blind and Interpreting communities at the local, state, national and international levels,” said Jennifer K. Holtz, director of UA Little Rock’s School of Counseling, Human Performance and Rehabilitation. 

Hollingsworth has been an active board member of the Arkansas Deaf-Blind Community since 1992, serves on its Licensure Advisory Board, and was an evaluator of support service providers for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. 

She has held numerous leadership posts within the interpreting community by serving on the board of the Arkansas Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, including a term as vice president from 1993-1995; three terms as treasurer, 1999-2001, 2001-2003, and 2007-2009; and as secretary, 2009-2011.

Hollingworth regularly provides training and presentations on support service provider training, educational interpreting, ASL seminars, and state interpreter credential testing. She has also mentored students since 1999 at numerous deaf-blind camps in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma. 

In the photo top right, Jami Hollingsworth (center) receives the Barbara E. Northup Excellence in Community Involvement Award from Katelyn Wilson (left), president of the Arkansas Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, and Ernest Northup, husband of Barbara Northup, for whom the award is named.