In 1996, Jim McCarthy from Florida became the Bee’s first profoundly deaf competitor, earning an incredible Top 50 finish among a record-setting contingent of 247 spellers. During that trip to Washington D.C. with his family, they visited gallaudetu, the world's only liberal arts university for the deaf. "When I was there, I was struck by the history of the place, from its chartering as a college by Abraham Lincoln to the Deaf President Now movement in 1988, and thought it was somewhere I might like to work someday," said Jim. Fast forward 30 years and today Jim leads the Gallaudet University Archives, where he's worked since 2021. Jim and his team preserve the school's institutional memory and the cultural memory of the American Deaf community, and document the roles of both in the history of our country. A wonderful full-circle moment for a true Bee legend and trailblazer who continues to build an indelible legacy. #inspiration #GallaudetUniversity #deafcommunity