For 48 years, the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities (RCPD) has been maximizing ability and opportunity for members of the Spartan community and beyond. In February 2020, RCPD was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating decades of creativity supporting community advancement and leadership in the area of diversity. This award was presented to RCPD Director Michael Hudson and staff during the MSU Excellence in Diversity Awards (EIDA) program sponsored by the Office for Inclusion and Intercultural Initiatives.
The EIDA program was created to promote and acknowledge the efforts of individuals, teams, units, and organizations who graciously exceed expectations every day through their commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusive leadership. As an institution that takes pride in this commitment, MSU honors exemplary staff, students, and faculty annually at this important event.
MSU President Samuel L. Stanley, who attended the event, has remarked: “I really believe that such a community will give us vital new perspectives that will inform our work and our relationships. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are really foundational values for everything we’re trying to do at MSU.”
RCPD extends heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Mark Largent and Dr. Thomas D. Jeitschko for their nomination, alongside the recommendations by Vennie Gore, Lee N. June, and Brenda Flanagan. Their endorsement of RCPD’s ability to create and foster a more inclusive campus inspired the awarding committee to agree that through “high-quality, inclusive, and innovative programming,” the RCPD continues to contribute levels of excellence for campus and the community.