Marshall Hurst

Marshall Hurst is the Outreach and ASL Communications Specialist at the Boston University (BU) Wheelock Deaf Center, where he leads the Center’s social media, web content, research communications, and event outreach. In this role, he shares the Center’s work with Deaf communities, families, and educators while championing bilingual education for Deaf children.

A proud second generation Deaf person, Marshall was raised in a close Deaf family in the Ontario countryside near Niagara Falls. Growing up, he attended mainstream schools while staying deeply rooted in the culture and values of his Deaf heritage.

After high school, Marshall attended the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration (MBA). This foundation gave him a strong understanding of organizational dynamics and leadership.

His passion for bilingual education began early, thanks to his mother, who taught Deaf students for more than 15 years. Her commitment to bilingualism inspired Marshall to advocate for equitable education that gives Deaf children full access to language.

Guided by this philosophy, Marshall shifted his career to Deaf Education and earned his Master of Education (EdM) in Deaf Education from BU. While a student, he collaborated with Dr. Amy Lieberman and Dr. Naomi Caselli on research into language acquisition and language deprivation among deaf children across the country.

Marshall completed his practicum at the Texas School for the Deaf (TSD) and stayed on for a year, teaching world geography and world history in the high school department, before returning to BU in his current role.