This is a bold statement for anyone to make, but imagine moving 1,200 miles away from home, entering a university without knowing anyone and being deaf.

Steve Williams, animal science junior from Columbus, Mont., was born without the ability to hear and is considered profoundly deaf. He transferred to Oklahoma State University in August 1998 from Northwest College in Powell, Wyo.

There is no family history of deafness, and Steve's family really does not know why he was born without hearing.

Nevertheless, Steve is an active student at OSU.

"He's awesome to work with," said Brad Morgan, animal science professor and Steve's adviser. "He works harder than anyone I've ever seen."

Growing up and working on his family's bull test station, Steve knew he wanted to have an opportunity to work in an agricultural field. He chose a food industry option because the industry is continually changing. 

How does Steve get along in class? Easy. Not only can he read lips, but he has interpreters who sign lectures for him. He also borrows notes from other students, which is how he met his wife, Lindsay, an agricultural economics and agricultural communications senior from Powell, Wyo. But it was not exactly love at first sight. 

On the first day of class she spoke to him, but because he was not looking at her he did not respond. 

After class had started, his interpreter showed up five minutes late and that is when she realized he was deaf.

"I felt so bad that I volunteered to take notes for him," Lindsay said. Shortly after, they started dating and got married July 10, 1999. It took her only two months to learn sign language fluently. 

Steve said the major reason he came to Oklahoma State University is because the university has one of the top agricultural programs in the nation.

"The university has more challenging classes and a wider range of courses from which to choose. The faculty members are outstanding and have lots of experience in their respective fields," Steve said. 

Steve is leaning toward an animal science master's degree with an emphasis in ruminant nutrition and meats. He said learning the beef industry from one end to the other is important because numerous steps occur before the steak is placed in front of the consumer. And because of this, Steve said, nutrition plays a big role in quality. 

"There are so many things I want to look into before I decide my future," Steve said. "Hopefully, I will get a job where I can bring the beef industry closer together to work for a consistent product, which is a tough issue to correct. Eventually, after gaining experience, the option for me to return home is still there to take over the family feedlot."

Not only is Steve busy with school work and extracurricular activities such as Block and Bridle, but he also is working out for the 2000 OSU Intercollegiate Meat Judging Team. 

Kent Reed, animal science junior, is one of Steve's teammates. 

"At first, I had a hard time understanding him, but the more I am around him, the easier he is to understand," said Reed. "Steve is really a lot of fun to be around." 

Currently, there are about 15 "hard of hearing students" on the OSU campus. Of those, there are three deaf students who need sign language interpreters, said Mike Shuttic, disability coordinator for the student disability services office. 

The student disability services office assists students by providing sign language interpreters, note takers, overhead copies, captioned videos and other equipment when needed. 

Charlotte Ker (pictured below), one of Steve's interpreters, has been interpreting for 13 years. She is contracted by OSU through the Tulsa Speech and Hearing Association. 

"I enjoy working with Steve. He is easy to work for and makes my job easier." 

Because Steve is an animal science major, Charlotte said, she has never interpreted such different content in her life. 

"Now I can pick out good beef products in the grocery store, and my family is loving it!" Charlotte said. 

Attitude is everything when it comes to Steve because he has a positive attitude when looking toward his future.

"I don't let being deaf challenge me," Steve said. "I could look at it two ways ó don't think about it and accept it or think about it and feel sorry for myself. I chose the first way."