Recipients of 2021 Focus Awards announced

The Office of Institutional Equity announces the recipients of the 2021 Focus Awards, which acknowledge and celebrate the work done by Purdue community members to further the University’s commitment to disability accessibility and disability diversity initiatives.

This year, several individuals and one organization received Focus Awards during Indiana’s Disability Awareness Month in recognition of their valuable contributions to raising awareness and furthering access to education, work, and play for individuals with disabilities. 

The 2021 winners are:

• Student: Ilayda Kelley, PhD student in the Department of Chemistry.
• Faculty: James McClure, professor of mathematics and curriculum and instruction.
• Staff: Eli Van Sickel, access consultant in the Disability Resource Center, and Pat Russell, compliance officer in Human Resources.
• Retiree: Dean Brusnighan.
• Organization: Reinventing the Interface of Inclusivity, Sports, and Engineering (RIISE).

To learn more about the contributions and achievements of the recipients, visit the 2021 Focus Awards webpage.

For questions regarding the Focus Awards, call 765-494-7255 or email equity@purdue.edu.