Professor Mike Behrmann Receives Award

The Arc of Northern Virginia, a disability organization that advocates on behalf of Virginians with intellectual, cognitive and related developmental disabilities and their families, will present awards Michael Behrmann, director of Mason's Helen A. Kellar Institute for Human disAbilities with a special Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to people with disabilities through its employment programs, the LIFE (Learning Into Future Environments) Program and other initiatives.

In Mason's LIFE Program, young adults with intellectual disabilities have the opportunity to take classes to help improve their literacy, employment skills and independent living skills, and even live on campus with college students. LIFE is operated by the Kellar Institute, part of the College of Education and Human Development.

Behrmann receives this Community Award for showing leadership in special education. According to the Arc, Behrmann and other Education Leadership Award winners are individuals who have been recognized by parents and students within the school and community settings for an outstanding job in working to create an infrastructure of learning communities and opportunities for students with disabilities that truly allow students to work, learn and compete side-by-side with their peers without disabilities.

The awards were presented at the Arc's 18th Annual Education Leadership Awards ceremony at the Annandale campus of Northern Virginia Community College.