The MSU Tower Guard assists students with visual and print-related disabilities. The dedication of its members earned it the Outstanding Volunteer Organization Award at the RCPD's 2010 Awards and Appreciation Reception.
At the RCPD Awards Reception in April, four MSU students received recognition from the Athletes with Disabilities Network for their admirable accomplishments and activities.
For Matt Carbary, the seemingly simple commitment to providing others with the opportunities that made a difference in his life led him to become the State of Michigan Student Employee of the Year- an award he was given in April 2010.
Melissa Ghislain, the 2009-2010 Katrina Tagget Fellow shares lessons she has learned during her time as a student at Michigan State. She highlights her past internships and urges her fellow students to take advantage of their time in college.
Katrina Tagget was an accomplished student, achieving academic excellence while balancing her service to others. In her memory, Katrina's family and friends established a generous fellowship to allow students to continue her legacy of service.
Every year, MSU Design Day challenges engineering students to think outside the box. Teams participate in one of MSU’s largest competitions, and creativity is the name of the game. The RCPD partners with many teams to create innovative products.
When Mike Nichols received a scuba diving class as a Christmas present in 2003, he never imagined it would take him around the world and back—to the MSU RCPD. Nichols will be teaching adaptive scuba at Michigan State starting in Summer 2010.
At one point in time, having a disability at Michigan State came with a unique set of circumstances. Accessible technology in classrooms was non-existent. For students with disabilities an education at MSU was an uphill battle. But, not anymore.
Gaining admission to Michigan State University is a prestigious accomplishment. For veterans of the United States Armed Forces, coming to campus after facing a different world in serving our country is a unique experience.
“It is an invisible disability,†says RCPD's Virginia Rutan, describing Autism Spectrum Disorders. At MSU, students seeking resources for ASDs have increased from 3 to 26 in the last 5 years: a testament to increasing awareness for diagnosis.
Dozens gathered in Bessey Hall to celebrate the dedication and the perseverance that America’s veterans and service-members give to our country. Veterans and active duty service members learned about the resources available to them at MSU.
Years ago, one night a week, wheelchair users would invade the tennis courts for an evening with the MSU tennis team, said Coach Gene Orlando. This fall, the team will resume the tradition every Monday night at 6:30pm in the Indoor Tennis Facility.
Unlike many MSU students, those with print-related disabilities, including blindness, learning disabilities, and motoric challenges, begin the text book shopping process with a trip to the bookstore- but this is just the first step.
In June 2009, ten fortunate students, combined coursework with experiential learning to increase their awareness, sensitivity, and understanding of the social, cultural, legal, and political aspects of disability.
Katrina Tagget, a beloved RCPD student and mentor who passed away in September 2008, is memorialized by the caring contributions of the first Katrina Tagget Fellow, Jason Baumhover, in her name.
Five MSU students have received recognition from the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame for their admirable accomplishments. Each student has removed the “dis-†from disability, and shown others that they will not be stopped by their challenges.
Families of blind and visually impaired students celebrated the value of education and communication with community leaders on Tuesday, June 23rd at Michigan's first Braille-A-Thon.
The start of classes brings challenges for Amanda Gretka and other students with print-related disabilities including blindness, learning disabilities and motoric challenges that many would not imagine.
On April 17th, scholarships exceeding $48,000 were awarded to deserving students, while community and faculty members were recognized for accommodating them.