Southeastern Associate Professor of Education Gerlinde Beckers has been appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to serve on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Disability Affairs. Beckers will serve on the education, legislation and accessibility sub-committees.
The council was established by the Governor’s Office to educate, address and resolve issues relative to the disability community. The mission is to promote, encourage and support citizens with disabilities so they may have an equal opportunity to actively participate in all aspects of life.
A resident of Loranger, Beckers has been recognized for her work with Southeastern’s Lions Connected Program, a program that provides personalized, post-secondary educational experiences for individuals with intellectual disabilities and recently received national recognition as the Exemplary Program for Vocational Training and Transition from the American Council on Rural Special Education.
“Dr. Beckers’ knowledge, experience, and passion for improving the lives of individuals with disabilities makes her the perfect fit for this gubernatorial appointment.,” said Dean of the College of Education Paula Summers Calderon. “As principal investigator of the Louisiana Alliance of Postsecondary Inclusive Education (LAPIE), Dr. Beckers exemplifies Southeastern’s core values of excellence and caring as she provides guidance to other universities in creating inclusive post-secondary education programs. This gubernatorial appointment will continue to highlight and advance the work she does at Southeastern.”
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