Golisano Foundation Honors Nazareth's Shirley Szekeres With a Move to Include Award During Its 30th Anniversary Celebration
Nazareth’s Shirley Szekeres, Ph.D., director of the York Wellness and Rehabilitation Institute, will be honored with one of six Move to Include Awards when The Golisano Foundation celebrates its 30th Anniversary on Thursday, October 15, at George Eastman Museum. The presentation of the first ever Move to Include Awards also includes a dinner reception honoring foundation award winners and grant recipients, and a presentation by renowned photographer Rick Guidotti, creator of the Positive Exposure Photographic Exhibition.
The Move to Include Awards will recognize those who believe and act in the purest realm of the essence of "move to include." The awards are given in the hope that the understanding of "include" can be elevated, promoted, ingrained and demonstrated at the highest levels of human behavior. The award is named after the Move to Include initiative launched in 2014 with WXXI to advance inclusion in all aspects of our community.
"This anniversary is a celebration of the champions who are working in the community every day to make life better and more productive for people with intellectual disabilities," said Tom Golisano, Golisano Foundation Chairman and Founder. It is important that we thank and recognize those who are setting the standard and leading the way to help people with intellectual disabilities realize their potential and live life with dignity. By shining a light on their innovative work and deep commitment we also hope that others will be inspired to follow in their footsteps."
Golisano's giving through his Foundation and to other organizations reached a milestone this year, exceeding a quarter billion dollars ($250,000,000). His generosity has supported colleges and universities, hospitals, international health care for people with intellectual disabilities, and many other causes. While the majority of his giving has been to organizations in western New York, the region where he was born and established his business, his giving has also supported organizations in Florida, where Golisano now lives. And he recently extended his reach on the international stage with a $25 million gift to Special Olympics.
Shirley Szekeres holds a Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Pittsburgh. Her career spans more than 40 years beginning at the Rehabilitation Institute of Pittsburgh where she was a therapist, researcher, and director in programming for individuals with language and cognitive disabilities.
Szekeres has published more than 25 book chapters and journal articles and given numerous state and national presentations related to the diagnosis and treatment of language and cognitive disabilities.
She came to Nazareth College in 1991, serving as chair, teacher, and clinical supervisor in the speech-language pathology program. In 2004, she became the first dean of the School of Health and Human Services (SHHS). During her 10-year tenure as dean, she oversaw major growth including expansion of community partnerships, new programs In Creative Arts Therapy, Occupational Therapy, and Public Health, and new clinics for physical therapy, occupational therapy as well as significant expansion of the speech-language therapy, art therapy, and music therapy clinics.
Szekeres has promoted interprofessional education (IPE) within the School supporting the development of programs such as the I-SPAN program that prepares professionals to work with individuals on the autism spectrum, and an IPE course required by all Health and Human Services students. She has led the Collaborative Practice Steering Committee, which sets interprofessional policy and procedures for campus clinics. In June of 2015, Dr. Szekeres stepped down as dean to become the first director of the York Wellness and Rehabilitation Institute, a concept that had been her vision and passion for more than five years.
The York Institute provides room for further expansion of clinical services, including space for nursing and social work. Its mission is to educate students in holistic, person-centered, evidence-based care while providing needed wellness and rehabilitative services to individuals with acquired and developmental disabilities.
For More Information
Julie Long, Nazareth Chief Public Relations Officer: (585) 389-2456; jlong2@naz.edu
Nazareth University is an inclusive community of inspired learners, educators, and changemakers who for nearly 100 years have been driven by a bold commitment to action, empathy, equity, and leading innovation for the common good. Impact experiences are at the heart of a Nazareth education, preparing each student to discover within themselves the potential to cultivate positive change in their life's work, in any career field, and in a world that is constantly evolving and infinitely interconnected.
Our broad academic offerings present a range of study options typical of larger universities, yet achieved in our supportive campus culture. Nearly 2,100 undergrad and 600 graduate students enroll in degree and certificate programs and engage in collaborative, transformative learning experiences, preparing for the professions and society of today and tomorrow. In a learning community that purposefully integrates liberal arts and professional programs, Nazareth University graduates are able to launch a lifetime of impactful leadership in communities and workplaces near and far.
