by Christi Mathis
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumnus Michael Nelipovich was the first person to earn a doctorate in rehabilitation despite being legally blind and went on to become a leading researcher and university professor and expert in the field. During a special public event at 5 p.m. Oct. 10 in Morris Library’s Hall of Presidents and Chancellors, the late Nelipovich’s groundbreaking contributions to disability support and rehabilitation services and their impact will be recognized, and his family will donate his research and papers to his alma mater.
Everyone is welcome to attend the presentation, which will feature comments from his family, friends and colleagues; discussion about advancing disability support services and research on college campuses, and light refreshments.
First-generation Saluki overcame obstacles to excel
Nelipovich was born with a rare genetic disease that results in blindness, which gradually caused him to lose all of his usable vision by the age of 45. Yet he was the first person in his family to earn a college degree and he earned the first doctorate of rehabilitation awarded at SIU in 1981. He was proud of his accomplishment and dedicated his life to helping vision-impaired people live full, productive lives.
He was a founding member of the Blindness Hall of Fame in Louisville, Kentucky, and along with being a prolific researcher and sought-out speaker in the field, his career included serving as a university professor and as director of the State of Wisconsin Services for the blind, where he oversaw a staff of rehabilitation professionals throughout the state. He was widely published with many of his works, including some co-authored by his wife, Brenda A. Shearer, focused on disability and addiction in co-existence. He earned numerous awards and honors during his career, eventually retiring in 2009 and moving from Madison, Wisconsin, to Hendersonville, North Carolina, where he explored the mountains, trails and waterfalls and continued to travel the world and socialize. Nelipovich died on Nov. 1, 2020, at the age of 75.
SIU’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is sponsoring the event. For additional information, contact Elizabeth Hamilton with the School of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences at mary.hamilton@siu.edu or 618-559-0325.