Dr. Rebecca Monteleone, an assistant professor of disability studies, has been awarded the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ annual Community Partnership Award. This award acknowledges Monteleone’s substantial contribution to fostering a community where people with developmental disabilities can live, learn, work, play and create as equal citizens.
The award recognizes SALUTE (Self-Advocates of Lucas County-Toledo) Storytellers, a program Monteleone developed in collaboration with SALUTE. In this program, workshops are run where self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities develop short monologues based on memories of empowerment, disability pride, passions and more.
Monteleone
“Dr. Monteleone brings great skills and versatility to UToledo’s Disability Studies curriculum,” said Dr. Kim Nielsen, Distinguished University Professor and chair of disability studies. “She is committed to living the disability justice about which she teaches and researches and has been an excellent mentor for student researchers.”
“I am so honored to receive this recognition,” Monteleone said. “I believe deeply that community partnerships are necessary for creating meaningful academic scholarships that can be used to make more equitable futures. The relationships I have formed at the Lucas County Board of Developmental Disabilities make my teaching and research here at The University of Toledo better.”
Monteleone is known campus-wide for her versatility and dedication to disability justice. She leads by example and inspires her students, including Isabella Garza, who is receiving the CAL Dean’s Long Essay Award this year. Monteleone’s commitment to serving the broader community is a shining example of UToledo’s dedicated faculty to positive influence and civic engagement.
