Cheryl Spear, a long-time graduate student in the School of Education, died in Atlanta, Georgia on December 11, 2011. Ms. Spear received her B.A. in Clinical Psychology from Brooklyn College in 1998 and entered the graduate program at Syracuse University in 1999. She received a Master’s degree in Cultural Foundations of Education and Certificate of Advanced Study in Disability Studies in 2003. She was a recipient of an African American Studies Fellowship and served as a graduate assistant at the Center on Human Policy during the early years of her studies at Syracuse University. She had been a doctoral student in Cultural Foundations of Education since 2003. Her research interests included accessibility issues for students who are blind or have low visual and the intersection of race and disability. Ms. Spear was one of the founding members of the Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee, Syracuse University’s disability student organization, in 2001. During the 2010-11 academic year, she served as a teaching assistant in Disability Studies and worked for the Office of Disability Services, where she assisted international students with visual impairments to make the transition to Syracuse University.
The SU flag has been lowered in her memory. The statement on the flag pole reads:
“At the request of Chancellor Nancy Cantor, the Syracuse University Flag is lowered in memory of Cheryl Spear, a graduate student in the Disability Studies Program in the School of Education, who passed away following a brief illness. Cheryl was very active in Center on Human Policy efforts and was one of the founders of the student Beyond Compliance Coordinating Committee. She will be greatly missed. The University sends deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and all who knew her.”