Dr. Lyndsey Nunes Honored with Debra Hart Award for Inclusive Higher Education Advocacy

On Thursday, June 13, Dr. Lyndsey Nunes, Director of Inclusive Postsecondary Education at Westfield State University, was awarded the prestigious Debra Hart Award for Inclusive Higher Education Advocacy. The award ceremony took place during the Emerging Trends: A Conference on High Impact College-based Transition Services and Inclusive Postsecondary Education in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

The Debra Hart Award, presented for the first time this year, honors the legacy of Debra Hart, a visionary leader in disability, special education, and higher education for over three decades. Hart, who passed away in December 2023, was a tireless advocate and trailblazer in inclusive higher education. Her commitment to improving transition services and her work in training special education personnel through the UMass Boston Transition Leadership graduate certificate program were pivotal in the formation of the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment (MAICEI) program.

Under Hart’s guidance, the MAICEI program and similar initiatives flourished through state funding, becoming premier examples of college-based transition services in the country. Hart played a pivotal role in passing the Massachusetts law, Creating Higher Education Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, Autism, and other Developmental Disabilities, which expanded postsecondary options for adults with intellectual disabilities in the Commonwealth. Her unwavering belief in inclusion and her profound impact on countless lives remain her enduring legacy.

Dr. Megan Kennedy, Director of Educator Preparation, Accreditation, and Outreach at Westfield State University, praised Dr. Nunes's dedication to championing disability services. "Lyndsey and I have been colleagues for over ten years," Dr. Kennedy said. "Some of that time was while I was the MAICEI director at Bridgewater State University and during my tenure at the DHE. Lyndsey has always stepped up to advocate for higher education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. Debra would be proud to see Lyndsey receiving this award in her name.”

Dr. Nunes expressed her gratitude for the honor, stating, "Receiving the Debra Hart Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Inclusive Higher Education Advocate award is my greatest honor to date. Debra was a tireless advocate in the field of inclusive postsecondary education, and I was fortunate to call her not just my mentor but my friend. Since I entered the field in 2013, her research and work have shaped my own. She was the 'HART' of inclusive postsecondary education. This award will serve as a continuous reminder that what my colleagues and I are doing each day truly ensures her legacy in the field never ends, impacting the lives of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities for years to come."