Daube Award for Inclusion and Accessibility Presented to Brian Cleary
Manchester, Conn. (April 28, 2016) – Brian Cleary, director of Manchester Community College’s Academic Support Center, was awarded the 2016 Dr. Jonathan M. Daube Award for Inclusion and Accessibility.
The award was established to honor an outstanding member of the college community who continues the legacy of inclusion and accessibility demonstrated by Daube during his years of leadership as president of the college.
Cleary, a resident of Andover, Connecticut, was presented with the award by Daube at the annual MCC Institute on Disability and Community Inclusion and Communitas-sponsored Gunnar and Rosemary Dybwad Seminar series held Monday, April 25. The award cited Cleary’s contributions of “consistent creative support of students with disabilities, which affords them the same opportunities for success as other students on campus.”
He has served as director of the Academic Support Center since 2009. Under his leadership, the center offers a writing center, a math lab, and individual tutoring appointments to students. It employs over 60 professional, peer and faculty tutors. Previously he was a counselor. He also teaches philosophy as an adjunct faculty member.
Cleary holds a master of arts degree in philosophy from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque and a bachelor of arts degree in philosophy from Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y.
Prior to joining MCC, he worked for the Community College of Vermont, the University of Vermont and Lyndon State College in various roles, including coordinator of academic services, community support specialist, and adjunct faculty member.
About the Rosemary and Gunnar Dybwad Seminar
Rosemary and Gunnar Dybwad opened their home and hearts to many who wanted to learn how to help children and adults with intellectual disabilities become more involved in school and community life. By listening to parents all over the world, they caused an international association of parents to be formed that provides support to countless families in remote regions and villages throughout the globe. In their honor, MCC hosts the annual Rosemary and Gunnar Dybwad Lecture Series. This year’s keynote speaker at the seminar was Mandy Neville, founder and chief executive of U.K.-based Circles Network, an organization supporting children and adults with disabilities and their families.
Also at the Dybwad seminar, student Raymond Russell, of Norwalk, a disability specialist major, was introduced as the 2016 recipient of the Gunnar and Rosemary Dybwad Scholarship. Russell will receive his scholarship award at the MCC Academic Awards Ceremony May 25.
