DIVISION ON VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS

HALL OF FAME  

DVI is proud to present a compiled list of previous award winners.

Past recipients of the CEC-DVI Distinguished Service Award include: 

1984 Natalie Barraga

1985 Charles Woodcock

1986 Marjorie Ward

1987 Anne Corn

1988 Ralph Peabody

1989 Berthold Lowenfeld

1990 Sam Ashcroft

1991 Dean Tuttle

1992 Evelyn Rex

1993 Virginia Sowell

1994 Randall Harley

1995 Kay Ferrell

1996 Herb Miller

1997 Alan Koenig

1998 Rosanne Silberman

1999 Bob Brasher

2000 Mary Jean Sanspree

2001 Susan Spungin

2002 Lou Alonso  

2003 Philip Hatlen

2004 Kevin Lessard

2005 Lou Tutt

2006 Stuart Wittenstein

2007 Donna McNear

2008 L. Penny Rosenblum

2009 Cay Holbrook

2010 David Ross

Past recipients of the CEC-DVI Outstanding Dissertation of the Year Award include:

1992 Elizabeth Erwin

1993 KC Dignan

1994 Stuart Wittenstein

1995 Madeline Milian-Perrone

1996 Carol Allman

1997 L. Penny Rosenblum

1998 Linda Mamer

2000 Ellyn Ross

2001 Sheila Amato

2003 Grace Lappin

2008 Derrick Smith

2009 Stacy Kelly

2010 Sinikka Smothers

Past recipients of the CEC-DVI Exemplary Advocate Award include:

1991 President Jimmy Carter

1996 Joan Baker

1998 Richard Umsted

2000 Mark Goodkin

2001 Abraham Nemeth

2002 Bill East

2003 Nancy Safer

2004 Dr. Sy Hoffman

2005 Dr. Mimi Berman and Marvin Sandler

2006 Charles Freeman

2007 Pete Stabnick

2008 Peter Sullivan and Neal Kuniansky

2009 Olegario D. Cantos, VII

2010 American Printing House for the Blind

Past recipients of the CEC-DVI Teacher of the Year Award Teacher of the Year Award include:  

2003  Judy Cernkovich

2004 Bonnie Lawrence

2005 Keely Hipp

2006 Susan Osterhaus

2007 Sheila Amato

2008 Cindy Mock

2009 Barbara Johnson

2010 Sinikka Smothers

Past recipients of the CEC-DVI Student of the Year Award include:

1991  Julia Ashley

1994  Terry Pastel

1996 L. Penny Rosenblum

1997 Chad Simmons

Past recipients of the Virginia M. Sowell Student of the Year Award include:

1998 Susan Adams

1999 Amy Edmonds

2000 Sheila Amato

2003 Derrick Smith

2004 Shelley Rhodes

2005 Effie Laman

2006 Carol Evans

2008 Susie Thomas

2009 Stacy Kelly

2010 Francis Mary D'Andrea

The Virginia M. Sowell Student of the Year Award  

The Virginia M. Sowell Student of the Year Award is in honor of Dr. Virginia Murray Sowell.  Her devotion to teaching students with visual impairments began in 1955 with the creation of a new program within the San Antonio Independent School District.  Her commitment and extra time devoted to the program made it a success.  Dr. Sowell attended summer school at the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas, and San Francisco State University to pursue studies in visual impairment and orientation and mobility.

After earning her Ph.D. in special education at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Sowell accepted a position at Texas Tech University.  Her clear vision and dynamic energy created and developed a program in visual impairments at Texas Tech that is recognized internationally as a cutting edge model.  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.  She took a personal interest in all of her students, tailored programs to meet each student’s needs, and continued to stay in contact with former students long after they finished their training.  Her lifetime contributions to the profession mattered to countless numbers of children and adults with visual impairments.  

The Virginia Murray Sowell Center for Research and Education in Visual Impairment was created in January 1998 as a way to continue her work in perpetuity.

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