COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS PRESENTS 2010 AWARDS AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IN NASHVILLE

DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS VIRGINIA M. SOWELL STUDENT OF THE YEAR

Pictured: Frances Mary D'Andrea, DVI Virginia Sowell Student of the Year.

The Council for Exceptional Children, Division on Visual Impairments is proud to present the Virginia M. Sowell Student of the Year Award to Frances Mary D’Andrea at the Council for Exceptional Children Convention and Expo in Nashville, Tennessee on April 22, 2010. 

The Virginia M. Sowell Teacher of the Year Award is in honor of Dr. Virginia Murray Sowell.  Dr. Sowell trained professionals to improve the lives of individuals with visual impairments in the nation and beyond.  She had a strong commitment to training quality teachers and O&M specialists.  Her lifetime contributions to the profession mattered to countless numbers of children and adults with visual impairments.

“Ms. D’Andrea is in her final year as a National Center for Leadership in Visual Impairment (NCLVI) Fellow.  She plans on graduating with a PhD in Special Education from the University of Pittsburgh in May, 2010.    Ms. D’Andrea has continued to expand her knowledge in the area of reading and literacy.  In addition to completing her PhD she will also complete a certification in the Reading Specialist Program in the Department of Instruction and Learning.  Ms. D’Andrea is an atypical doctoral student in the sense that she has already received high praise and acclaim from many of her colleagues.  It is also interesting to note that it was a first for Ms. D’Andrea ‘s professor to use a textbook for one of this classes published by a current student.  The text Instructional Strategies for Braille Literacy co-authored by Ms. D’Andrea and Dr. Diane Wormsley has been used in the Vision Studies program Braille class at the University of Pittsburgh for years before she became a doctoral student.”

“Ms. D’Andrea is a productive and prolific student.  She is undaunted by any task that could benefit students, and pushes ahead when others may be flagging in their energy levels.  Through it all she maintains a wonderful sense of humor. “