Disability Resources and Educational Services celebrated 75 years of accessibility on campus with a hybrid event on the evening of Wednesday. It will also host an open house on April 19 in continued commemoration.
Event attendees could either join in person at the Student Dining and Residential Programs Building or over Zoom.
The program began with a showing of the documentary “The Game Changer,” which tells the story of Tim Nugent. He has since been memorialized with the naming of Nugent Hall and was responsible for establishing DRES in May 1949 with just 14 students.
Nugent was originally inspired to advocate for more accessibility for students with disabilities with the passage of the G.I. Bill and seeing numerous disabled WWII veterans wanting to enroll in college.
Throughout his career, Nugent fought for accommodations installed around the campus, such as wheelchair ramps and curb cuts. He always encouraged his students to be independent and enroll in sports. To this day, University students and alumni continue to be extremely successful at the Paralympics.
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After the documentary, guest speakers Adam Bleakney, Charlie Miller and Hugo Trevino shared their experiences and answered questions.
“What drives me each day — one is performance and helping the athletes succeed and reach their goals,” said Bleakney, a University alum and head coach of men’s and women’s wheelchair track and road racing. “But, equally, I see the pillars of (the) program that are a continuation of what Tim started, his research, education, outreach, advocacy and performance, and I try to touch on each of those in my job.”
Charlie Miller, a graduate student in the School of Labor and Employment Relations, spoke about how he was recently disabled after being hit by a truck and how his career and trajectory in life subsequently changed.
“What really motivated me was people telling me that I couldn’t, that I wasn’t able,” Miller said.
Trevino also spoke about his experience being a Mexican American first-generation student with a disability at the University. He currently works as the assistant director of Health Science Disability Resources at the University of Illinois Chicago.
“I always try to make sure that when I come into a space that I’m changing it and that I’m making it bigger so that other people with disabilities can also be at the table,” Trevino said.
