The Office of Disability Services was thrilled to host its annual awards ceremony on April 8th, 2025! It was a wonderful afternoon in Student Center, Cardinal Hall, celebrating the remarkable achievements of our students, dedicated alumni, and supportive faculty and staff who champion access and opportunity at Ball State University. This year’s ceremony allows us to congratulate several deserving individuals.

We were delighted to introduce our dedicated Disability Services team: Assistant Directors Mac Cook and Ethan Hines, Administrative Coordinator Sharon Harper, Graduate Assistant Addison Miller, our invaluable student employees and practicum students Lydia Clouser and Mariah Montaserio, as well as our close collaborators Jim Mills, Assistant Director of the Learning Center, Nick Baumgartner, Accessible Technology Manager, and Jeff Bowers, Captions Coordinator.

ACCESS Awards

At Ball State, the responsibility of providing access and services for students with disabilities extends across the entire campus. During pre-admission visits, we proudly share that accessibility is a university-wide priority, with faculty and staff diligently working to accommodate the diverse needs of our students. Each year, we present ACCESS Awards to individuals within the Ball State community who consistently go above and beyond in fostering an inclusive environment.

This year, we were honored to recognize the following individuals:

• Charle Cherry: Their invaluable support, particularly in addressing mental health concerns, and their keen awareness of disability-related issues have made them a vital partner to our office.
• Piper Hatch: Navigating the nuanced processes for Housing and Residence Life accommodations, Piper has proven to be exceptionally responsive and consistently thinks creatively to find solutions.
• Whitney Roberts: With a commitment to standards that exceed even ADA requirements, Whitney and their team are incredibly responsive to any physical access concerns that arise, always brainstorming collaboratively to ensure inclusivity.
• Olivia Romeo: A top referral source for our office (and vice versa!), Olivia demonstrates a strong awareness of disability issues and a proactive approach to learning about new developments in the field, fostering a remarkable partnership.

Accessible Teacher Awards

The Accessible Teacher Award recognizes faculty members nominated by students for their exceptional commitment to making their courses accessible without compromising rigor. These educators understand that accessibility is not about making things easier, but about creating an equitable learning environment for all. This year, we were so impressed by the nominations that we presented two awards!

• Rebecca Satterfield (Early Childhood): Nominated by Haley Jones, Rebecca was recognized for her dedication to creating an inclusive and accessible learning environment in Early Childhood Education.
• Gracie Sherrow (CCIM): Nominated by Dillon Rosenlieb, Gracie from the College of Communication, Information, and Media was celebrated for her efforts in ensuring her courses are accessible to all students.

Laura J. Kraska Awards

For the twelfth consecutive year, the Laura J. Kraska Awards were presented, made possible by the generous gifts of Tom Kraska and his family in loving memory of their daughter, Laura. Laura, who had low vision, earned her Bachelor’s (1990) and Master’s (1993) degrees in Information and Communication Sciences from Ball State and greatly benefited from the services provided by Disability Services. These scholarships, accompanied by a plaque, recognize students with visual disabilities who have demonstrated academic excellence and active engagement within the Ball State community.

This year’s recipients are:

• Amelia Stirm: A sophomore Sport Administration major and a CARDS alum, Amelia is proud of her academic achievements and independent living. She gained marketing experience with Athletics and will be interning at the SWRC through Eskenazi this summer.
• Saw Williamson: A sophomore Criminal Justice & Criminology major with a Dean’s List recognition from Fall 2024, Saw is an Honors College student who is proud of graduating high school early to begin their college journey.

Adrienne Paige Gilbert Scholarship

The Adrienne Paige Gilbert Scholarship is a testament to the enduring memory of Adrienne Paige Gilbert, whose four months of life profoundly impacted all who knew her. Her parents, Jeff and Kay Gilbert, established this scholarship to enable students with disabilities to pursue their educational goals in Adrienne’s honor.

The recipient of the 2025 Adrienne Paige Gilbert Scholarship is:

• Dillon Rosenlieb: A sophomore majoring in Journalism & Media with concentrations in Sports Writing/Studies & Multimedia Storytelling and a CARDS alum. He is proud of his articles “Unheard Voices” for the BSU Daily News and “Invisible” for Ball Bearings, as well as his feature on the BSU Daily News Podcast.

Fehribach Awards

Now in their sixteenth year, the Fehribach Awards honor Ball State alumnus Greg Fehribach and his wife, Mary Beth, longtime champions of Disability Services. Greg, a former Student Body President, Board of Trustee member, and a nationally recognized expert on ADA and accessibility issues, embodies the spirit of this award. These awards recognize students who have excelled academically and have actively promoted access and opportunity through their actions and examples. In addition to a plaque, recipients also receive a cash award.

The 2025 Fehribach Award recipients are:

• Zoe Cockrum: A sophomore Elementary Education major, Zoe is proud of earning all A’s in her first college semester and actively engaging in new clubs and activities, thriving in her transition to university life.
• Faith Graves: A junior dual Elementary Education/Special Education major, Faith is a fierce self-advocate who is diligently working on regaining her mobility after surgery and is passionate about equitable and accessible participation in athletics.
• Haley Jones: A senior Family & Child major, Haley returned to school after a two-year break working with children and families experiencing domestic violence and homelessness. Funded by the Department of Education, she served as a McKinney-Vento shelter liaison and Anderson Community Schools resource coordinator and will be interning with Disability Services this summer.
• Ayvah Scarberry: A freshman Japanese major, Ayvah participated in our summer bridge program, made the Dean’s List in Fall 2024, received two scholarships, and is proud of their ability to travel abroad independently.
• Anna Schneider: A sophomore Interior Design major, Anna successfully passed her Interior Design portfolio review. She is an excellent self-advocate who has spoken at various disability awareness events, including at her high school.

Markle Award

The Markle Award, now in its sixth year, honors Ball State alumnus and former director Larry Markle, along with his wife Shana and son Quentin, who continue to be strong supporters of Disability Services and the Eskenazi partnership. This award recognizes a student who has achieved academic success, supported access within the Ball State community, and completed an internship through the Eskenazi Health Initiative for Empowerment and Economic Independence (IEEI) program. The recipient receives a plaque and a cash award.

The 2025 Markle Award recipient is:

• Taylor Bowen: A graduate student in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling master’s program, Taylor previously interned with the Fehribach Center at Eskenazi, including an internship with Disability Services. She graduated from Ball State with a Psychology undergraduate degree, is a former Gilmer-Adamson Award winner, works in the ACT Lab, and is a research assistant in the counseling neuroscience lab. Carlos Taylor from the Fehribach Center had the honor of presenting this award.

Gilmer-Adamson Award

The Gilmer-Adamson Award stands as our top student honor, recognizing a student with a disability who demonstrates academic excellence, active campus involvement, and a strong commitment to creating access and opportunity for others. The award’s name honors Max Adamson, a Ball State student from 1976-1985 who was instrumental in advancing accessibility on campus, and Dustin Gilmer, who also worked tirelessly for accessibility.

The recipient of the 2025 Gilmer-Adamson Award is:

• Sydni Amick: A senior Psychology major with minors in Counseling & Women’s and Gender Studies and the President of Alliance for Disability Awareness (ADA), having previously served as VP and SGA representative. A Dean’s List honoree since 2021, Sydni has presented at numerous conferences and has gained valuable research and support group facilitation experience. She plans to pursue a graduate program in counseling psychology.

Harris-Rose Outstanding Alumnus Award

The Harris-Rose Outstanding Alumnus Award recognizes a Ball State alumnus with a disability who has achieved significant success in their life after graduation. Originally named the Richard Harris Outstanding Alumnus Award in honor of a pivotal figure in Ball State’s disability services, Bruce Rose’s name was later added to further honor his impactful contributions to access at the university.

The 2025 recipient of the Harris-Rose Outstanding Alumnus Award is:

• Savannah Greenwell: We first connected with Savannah during her pre-admission visit in 2017. Throughout her time at Ball State, she was a dedicated self-advocate and champion for accessibility, holding multiple executive board positions in ADA and being featured in a BSU Foundation magazine article. Savannah graduated in 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Finance and minors in Financial Planning & Leadership Studies. During her time as a student, she received a Fehribach Award, a Markle Award, and the Gilmer-Adamson Award. Savannah is now a successful financial consultant and underwriter who is passionate about mentoring future generations.

Top 100 Students

We also took a moment to celebrate the Ball State Foundation’s Top 100 students, several of whom are students with disabilities. We commend their achievements and contributions to our university community: Hayden Adams, Emilie Allen, Braya Badger, Lily Bushey, Katrina Leming, Sam McCollum, Sophia Prusa, Zoe Pointer, Lexi Shepard, Nicole Tate, Emma Walker, and a special congratulations to Fritz Wells, who was recognized as a Top Ten student!

The 2025 Disability Services Awards Ceremony was a resounding success, filled with inspiring stories and well-deserved recognition. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the award recipients and express our sincere gratitude to everyone who contributes to making Ball State University a more accessible and inclusive community. We look forward to continuing this important tradition for many years to come!

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