30th Anniversary History Book

HIGHLIGHTS 2016

CONGRESSIONAL BRIEFING

When Hollywood’s Mr. Smith went to Washington, immutable principles guided the idealistic freshman senator’s steps and exhortation to Congressional leaders. “Great principles don’t get lost once they come to light. They’re right here; you just have to see them again!” In a way, the delegation of administrators, current and graduated students, and parents, led by Beacon College President George Hagerty, channeled a bit of Jefferson Smith during its February 2016 visit to Capitol Hill. Through a Beacon-led congressional briefing and a series of legislative meetings, the group labored to bring to light the matchlessness of

Beacon College and help Congress see the growing, but largely ignored need for federal support for students with learning disabilities who pursue higher education. The Beacon contingent included Eileen Marinakis, then-Trustees chair; Tim Peckinpaugh, a Beacon parent; Steve Muller, then-vice president of institutional development and communications; Dr. Andrea Brode, then-dean of student success; Darryl E. Owens, director of communications; students Brandon Peters and Jeunesse Smith; and Dr. Rosalyn Johnson, a 2009 alum. In skull sessions with the legislative aides of congressional representatives Ted Deutch,

Katharine Clark, and Dan Webster, the Beacon delegation contrasted the despair of K-12 schooling without appropriate support for students with learning disabilities with the hope of becoming educated and successful at Beacon College. Later that morning, after Rep. Webster prefaced the congressional briefing by declaring of Beacon that there is “nothing like it in the world,” the panelists continued their educational offensive. Congressional staffers and Rep. Webster listened as panelists shared their struggles, hard choices and inspirational turnarounds at Beacon College.

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