Category: Firsts

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin with current students.

US Secretary of Education visits DRES

Posted on by DRES Web Admin

US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin visited the University of Illinois campus on their Ready for Success Education Tour.  They attended a practice for the Illinois wheelchair basketball program and hosted a round table discussion with University of Illinois/DRES students with disabilities.  Assistant Secretary Michael Yudin stayed for the rest […]

Tim Nugent

Nugent Collection Now Online

Posted on by DRES Web Admin

Tim Nugent was the founder and director of Division of Rehabilitation Education Services (DRES), the first post-secondary disability support service program in the world. He was also responsible for many accessibility firsts. A collection of papers and photos in the University Archives details his life and accomplishments. Learn more about Dr. Tim Nugent and see the Nugent collection […]

Nugent shaking hands with Easter at graduation ceremony.

Dr. Tim Nugent Received Honorary Degree

Posted on by DRES Web Admin

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree to Dr. Timothy Nugent during the campus-wide commencement ceremony in Memorial Stadium on May 16. Dr. Nugent founded and was the first director of the Division of Disability Resources and Educational Services at Illinois, the first post-secondary academic and personal support […]

Julie Rhoad onstage speaking at the 2012 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

2012 Smithsonian Folklife Festival Highlights

Posted on by DRES Web Admin

As one of 28 land grant universities selected to participate in the Smithsonian Museum’s 2012 Folklife Festival’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Act,  the University of Illinois highlighted its many seminal contributions to accessibility for persons with disabilities. Illinois faculty, staff and students participated in colloquia, and gave lectures on a myriad […]

Tanya Gallagher, Dean of the College of Applied Health Sciences, accepting the award.

Illinois First University to Receive Barrier-Free America Award

Posted on by DRES Web Admin

Paralyzed Veterans of America awarded the 2012 Barrier-Free America Award to the Nugent Residence Hall and the Disability Resources & Educational Services (DRES) Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, for all of their efforts towards accessibility and the accessible design of Nugent Hall. The award was presented at the Paralyzed Veterans 2012 Americana Gala […]