Caitlin Van Ermen
Michigan State Spartan, Carl Scott Trimble, arrived at MSU in 1967 and knew his approach to higher education would be a little different than most. Prepared for education at the Michigan School for the Blind, Carl found Tower Guard a ready partner in his academic pursuits. Tower Guard made the university approachable for Trimble despite his visual challenges and with his degree he launched a career that advanced the education for an entire state. While Trimble passed away February 16, 2015, he is remembered and honored for his exceptional achievement in educational reform for the State of Kentucky.
RCPD Director Michael Hudson remarks, “We are honored by the Trimble family recollection that Tower guard was incredibly important in Carl’s life accomplishments.
Tower Guard remains critical in MSU accessibility. Indeed, generations of Spartans who are blind, visually impaired or achieving despite challenges with print materials count Tower guard among their most significant Spartan memories.”
Carl Trimble requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Michigan State University’s 80 plus year tradition, Tower Guard. In affiliation with the RCPD, Tower Guard is a community service organization that welcomes 70 sophomores from the top 5% of their class to complete 120 hours of community service. During their sophomore year with Tower Guard, they lead a mission of textbook accessibility including Braille, large print, audio and electronic text. Beyond reading and tutoring, they are also instrumental in helping new Spartans navigate the vast campus. Carl Trimble found a group of eleven friends in Tower Guard who served as his readers. Throughout his college years, he was grateful for the dedication and support received by Tower Guard.
Carl’s son, Alan, emphasizes, “There is no doubt that the Tower Guard, and the accommodations they provided him, influenced his thinking on the power and opportunity that proper accommodations could offer”.
The years following Trimble’s Masters degree from MSU were a series of accomplishments devoted to improving the lives of all Kentucky students. Serving as the Associate Commissioner of Education for the State of Kentucky, he wrote the pivotal guide to including special education students in the statewide accountability model. Trimble’s efforts made it possible for special education students to receive improved services and accommodations, and the State of Kentucky’s education system improved its rank among other states. The annual conference for Kentucky’s Association of Assessment Coordinator is now honored as The Scott Trimble Assessment Conference, after his duties on the Kentucky Council for the Blind.
Alan honors his father and states, “… through dad the Tower Guard influenced the education of an entire state.”