FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Dr. Paul Ogden, a Fresno State professor emeritus who has been Deaf since birth, has turned his retirement into a mission that now stretches across the globe.
After 40 years teaching, Dr. Ogden founded *The Silent Garden* in 2008 — a donor-funded program at Fresno State that provides free conferences, lectures, and workshops for families, educators, and professionals working with Deaf and Hard of Hearing children. Despite living with three disabilities, Ogden singlehandedly raised $9 million in endowments to keep the program financially stable and independent of state budget fluctuations. One more endowment is still in progress to fully complete his vision for the Garden.
What began as a resource for Central California has since grown statewide, nationwide, and internationally. Earlier this year, a Silent Garden lecture drew more than 550 participants from around the world, including New Zealand, South Africa, and Europe.
Scarlett’s Park Conference: Bridging Autism and Deaf Education
One of the flagship programs in The Silent Garden is the Scarlett’s Park Conference — an annual event centered on Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and adults with special needs. By design, it is completely free to ensure broad access to the vital resources, research, and support shared at the event…