Drs. Dave Martin and Randy McDaniel, College of Education Department of Rehabilitation and Special Education faculty members, were recently awarded a 5-year, $750,000 U.S. Department of Education grant for the rehabilitation program at the doctoral level.

"The unique part of this program is that the doctoral students who come in under this grant will take the initiative and leadership role under the direction and mentorship of the faculty in developing five immersion institutes that will integrate the doctoral training program with the real world issues facing rehabilitation counselors and agency leadership from a consumer-centered focus," Martin said.

The critical issues the institutes will address include significant disability and employment; assessment in the rehabilitation process; the influence of technology; independent living; and multiculturalism. These institutes will not only provide an enriched learning environment for all stakeholders, but they will expose doctoral students to the role and responsibilities of the rehabilitation counselor.

This grant also brings Auburn's rehabilitation program the distinction of being "one of only a few academic departments whose rehabilitation programs are funded at the bachelors, masters and doctoral levels," McDaniel said. The combined funding—a total of five grants—from all three levels total more than $3 million dollars.

"I think a lot of credit for this level of success has to go to our department head, Dr. Phil Browning, who gives us the tools and foundation we need to be competitive in writing successful grants. All departmental faculty members are also very supportive of each other when we are writing grants," Martin said. "It demonstrates how interrelated our work is."