On Friday, April 20th, the RCPD hosted its 17th annual Awards and Appreciation Reception at the Student Union Building in the Union Gold Room. Accompanied by refreshments, the presentation, which is held in order to honor MSU students, faculty and staff for outstanding contributions to and achievements within the community of persons with disabilities, lasted from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM.
Real-Time Captioners Kelli Werner, Karen Rivard, and Gail McAllen.
The ceremony was attended by representatives from various university departments and agencies; including the majority of the RCPD's staff, Dr. Lee June, Vice President of Student Affairs and Services and Assistant Provost for Student Academic Support Services and Multicultural Issues, members of Tower Guard, the university's select volunteer reader organization, representatives from the Commission for the Blind and officials from the Capital Area Transit Authority (CATA).
The presentation of awards and recognitions began with opening remarks from the RCPD's Director, Michael Hudson. After introducing the RCPD's staff and many of the other individuals in attendance, Mr. Hudson outlined the RCPD's goals and programs over the past year and for the future. Among other issues, he touched upon the office's intention to improve web accessibility and its emphasis on reorganizing the Resource Center's public image.
Michael Hudson, RCPD Director, conducts opening remarks and introduces the RCPD staff.
Finally, he announced the creation of the RCPD's new Persons With Disabilities Empowerment Fund and enumerated several of its potential uses, such as career service and readiness as well as leadership opportunities. He then concluded by welcoming his audience to the reception and turned the microphone over to Mistress and Master of Ceremonies Laura Laduke and Carl Oliver, both students at MSU.
Guests enjoying the reception in the Union Gold Room.
Mistress and Master of Ceremonies Laura LaDuke and Carol Oliver.
The first speaker introduced by the pair was Dr. Lee June. In his welcoming speech, Dr. June described the event as "a time for office supporters to come together," as well as an opportunity to honor the award recipients.
Dr. Lee June, Vice President for Student Affairs and Services & Assistant Provost for Student Academic Support Services and Multicultural Issues, welcomes guests to the reception.
Dr. June closed his comments by offering sincere thanks to Michael Hudson and the rest of the RCPD for their efforts in organizing the reception.
The first award to be announced was the RCPD Award. Presented jointly by Real-Time Captioners Gail McAllen, Karen Rivard and Kelli Werner, it was received by Rebecca Wahl.
Rebecca Wahl receives the RCPD Award. Real-Time Captioners Karen Rivard, Kelli Werner, and Gail McAllen presented the award to Rebecca.
An MSU student in animal Science with a hearing disability, Rebecca returned to the university for an advanced degree after completing a two-year program. All three presenters agreed that she has earned the award with her resourcefulness, commitment, persistence and dedication. Obviously touched by the honor, Rebecca observed that she had come a long way and was taught never to give up.
Next, Diana Shank, Secretary, and the Blindness/Visual Impairment and Chronic Health Specialist Virginia (Ginger) Martz announced the Student Leadership Award. Its recipient, Sonali Nanavati, was a Tower Guard reader in 1999, actively involved in peer technology groups, one of the students trained in the production of computer generated Braille, a tutor and a teacher of Math 234 (one of the math departments most difficult courses for newly assigned Teaching Assistants
Sonali Nanavati expresses her appreciation for the Student Leadership Award.
After accepting the award, Sonali volunteered that she was all the prouder of the award because of her admiration for those who gave it.
Sean Quinn, the son-in-law of Mary Beth Decker-Trunk, was in attendance to represent the families who established the Robert L. Decker and Benjamin Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarshi
Sean Quinn, son-in-law to Mary Beth Decker-Trunk, introduces the Robert L. Decker and Benjamin Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship.
Created to commemorate the friendship of the two men who died together in a plane crash, this year's award was received by Aimee Faner, a Veterinarian Medicine student, Matthew (Mo) Gerhardt, a student in Athletic Management and an all-around volunteer, and Gwynne Osaki, a chemistry major exchange student and an instructor known for working before and after official business hours. All three recipients expressed gratitude to their parents and the RCPD staff for the honor they had received.
Aimee Faner thanks the families and audience for receiving the Decker Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship.
Matthew Gerhardt also receives the Decker Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship.
Stoney Polman, Psychiatric and Brain Injury Specialists, introduces the third recipient for this year's Decker Muns Friendship Memorial Scholarship, Gwynne Osaki.
Michael Hudson then introduced Darrin Fowler. Mr. Fowler, who has a visual disability, is a lawyer and an alumnus of both MSU and Notre Dame.
Darrin Fowler explains to the audience his initiative to start the Fowler Fund.
This year, he began the Fowler Fund for the first time. After expressing appreciation for the assistance Michael Hudson, Pam Pope and the Commission for the Blind gave him during his time at MSU, Mr. Fowler shared the hope that the fund's resources would be used for adaptive technology and that, as more students with disabilities graduate from the university, obtained jobs and become financially self-sufficient, those who had been helped by the fund will become helpers themselves. Its first recipients were Judy Hunt, who plans to spend it on software, and Aaron Scheidies, who intends to buy an adaptive calculator.
Judy Hunt after receiving the Fowler Fund.
Aaron Scheidies and mother after receiving the Fowler Fund.
The next recipient of an award, Roger Yake, was not a student, but a graduate.
Patrick Scheetz, from the MSU Alumni Association, presents the Outstanding Alumnus award.
The Commission for the Blind nominated the twenty-eight year Commission Counselor for the Outstanding Alumnus Award. Mr. Yake has taken classes in rehabilitation teaching at Western Michigan University as well as earning a BA in elementary education and a MA in rehabilitation counseling at MSU.
Roger Yake, joined by his family, receives the Outstanding Alumnus award.
His pleasure at receiving this commendation from friends and colleagues was heightened by the presense of his wife and children, who stood with him to accept the award.
Dorothy Milbrook's relatives were also present to assist in introducing the Dorothy Milbrook Staff Award
The family of the late Dorothy Millbrook stand and are recognized by the audience.
After expressing gratitude for their yearly invitation to the reception and offering congratulations to the latest recipient, the family turned over the presentation to the RCPD's Assistive Technology Specialist, Steven Blosser.
Stephen Blosser, Assistive Technology Specialist, introduces the Dorothy Millbrook Staff Award.
In his speech, Mr. Blosser remarked that it was Dorothy Milbrook who "founded" the Resource Center for Persons With Disabilities' attitude and that this year it was James Renuk who exemplifies this determined, innovative spirit.
James Renuk receives the Dorothy Millbrook Staff Award.
A person with cerebral palsy and a staff member of the university's Intramural Sports department who has voluntarily tested much of the adaptive technology at MSU, Jim is well known for his care and concern for individuals and his habitual assertion that, "there is a way to find a solution."
Melissa Peele, Harbinger Editor, working hard to take notes for a future article on the awards ceremony.
The next two people to be recognized were also MSU staff members. Stephanie Beel, a student of Learning Disabilities Specialist and Study Skills Tutor Elaine High, and John Bolan, Valerie Nilson's student, respectively nominated Julie Cioni and Dr. Ruth Hamilton as Outstanding Faculty/Staff.
Stephanie Beal explains her reasons for nominating Julie Cioni for the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award.
Julie Cioni accepting the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award.
Val Nilson, Learning Disabilities Specialist, reads the comments written by John Bolan in his nomination of Dr. Ruth Hamilton for the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award.
Julie, according to her student Stephanie, is a tutor and teacher of Math 1825 with a caring and nurturing disposition who is willing to work with her students on her own time. Along with a talent for offering clear explanations of mathematical principles, Ms. Cioni left Stephanie with the impression that, "she cared about me as a person." Obviously touched, Julie Cioni responded by thanking her office TAs, the RCPD and with gratitude and affection for Stephanie herself. Unfortunately, John Bolan could not be present to introduce Dr. Ruth Hamilton himself. When Val Nilson, Learning Disabilities Specialist, read his letter of recommendation aloud, however, his admiration for the professor was evident in his description of her as an outstanding teacher, orator and scholar with an energetic approach and high standards.
Dr. Ruth Hamilton accepts the Outstanding Faculty/Staff Award.
A Doctor of Sociology who had John in an Integrated Social Sciences (ISS) class, she, like her co-recipient, treats her students with respect and dignity and is willing to spend time with them out of class. Dr. Hamilton expressed surprise, not only at being awarded the recognition, but also at the identity of the nominee. She explained that her students often inspired her and that she strives to bring a non-adversarial approach to teaching. "Well is when you're making improvement," she said.
Dr. Lee June and Michael Hudson explain the legacy of James B. Hamilton and the award named in his memory.
The next award, the James B. Hamilton Award, introduced by Director Michael Hudson and Dr. Lee June, was named in honor of Dr. Hamilton's late husband. She explained that her students often inspired her and that she strives to bring a non-adversarial approach to teaching. "Well is when you're making improvement," she said. An RCPD founder who was later diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease, Dr. James Hamilton was a professor of chemistry with a long and varied career at MSU. Before his death in 1994, he was instrumental in establishing the ["RCPD (then named the Office of Programs for Handicapper Students, and for hiring its first Director, Judy Taylor Gentile, in the early 1970s. Dr. June read a passage from What a Time to Live: The Autobiography of James B. Hamilton and then gave the microphone to Michael Hudson, who introduced the award's recipient, Dr. Paul Hunt, Chief Information Officer. One of those largely responsible for the acquisition of the RCPD's talking map in 1994 and the founder of the Accommodating Technology Committee in 1995, Dr. Hunt is judged exceptional for his intelligence, awareness of accessibility needs and effectiveness. According to Michael Hudson, his approach to technology accessibility issues is never "if" or "why," but "how".
Dr. Paul Hunt is the recipient of the James B. Hamilton Award.
Dr. Hunt professed himself honored and humbled by such remarks, particularly as he had been a colleague and admirer of Dr. Hamilton's. He accepted the award as a surrogate for all those working to make technology more accessible to persons with disabilities and said that there was still a long way to go before maximum accessibility was achieved. His greatest pleasure in the honor seemed to be the attention the award would focus on this goal.
Jonathan Truman, Sign Language Interpreter, working during the awards ceremony.
The Judy K. Gentile Award was given, not to an individual, but to Tower Guard, MSU's student reader organization.
Pam Pope and Ginger Martz introduce the winner of the Judy K. Gentile Award.
According to Ginger Martz, who presented the award along with Receptionist Pam Pope, Tower Guard and various unaffiliated reader volunteers has read 200 exams and read/edited 32,000 pages of printed text, the equivalent of reading the full hardcover edition of the English Oxford dictionary 23 and a half times. There can be no question that this year's Tower Guard readers have also proven exceptionally innovative and enthusiastic. **picture** Earlier this spring, they organized the 5k Walk Roll and Run, a marathon fund raising event that drew the attention of radio and television media and raised over $3,000, which was presented to Michael Hudson during the Awards Reception.
Members of the Tower Guard come forward to receive the Judy K. Gentile Award.
Steven Migliore one of those who accepted the award on behalf of the group said that membership in Tower Guard fostered lifelong changes for many of them and thanked the students and the RCPD for the opportunity to find friends, character and integrity within the organization.
Carl Oliver and Steven Migliore present Michael Hudson, on behalf of RCPD, with a check from money raised by the Tower Guard for the Persons with Disabilities Empowerment Fund.
Michael Hudson thanks Carl Oliver, Steven Migliore and the Tower Guard for their generous donation.
Finally, the Margaret A. Chmielewski Volunteer Award and Volunteer Recognition was awarded to Matthew Goebel. Matt, who was a Tower Guard member in 1999 and who has continued to tutor and teach students in math and science, is known for working with students in trouble 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
Ginger Martz and Pam Pope present Matthew Goebel with the Margaret A. Chmielewski Volunteer Award.
Always overbooked, he never refused to take on yet another responsibility. As of this May, he will have graduated, but upon receipt of the award, he promised to return to MSU and the RCPD to teach and volunteer.
Matthew Goebel expresses his appreciation for being selected as the Margaret A. Chmielewski Volunteer Award.
The ceremony was then closed by thanks and well wishes by the Master and Mistress of Ceremonies. As the audience rose to depart, many of them pausing to congratulate the awards' recipients, it became evident that the reception had served a dual purpose. The first of these, accomplished by the presentation of the various awards, was the RCPD's desire to express a heart felt gratitude for the efforts of various MSU students, staff and faculty. The second, more subtle effect of the ceremony was the heartening sense of community that resulted from a gathering of the RCPD's employees, supporters and students. Together, the contributions and characters of the reception's participants and the interest and admiration of the audience created an atmosphere of encouragement and optimism that was its own reward.