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<DIV dir=ltr class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left><FONT size=2
face=Tahoma>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> Freeh, Jessica
[mailto:JFreeh@nfb.org]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, May 04, 2010 8:08
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Alpidio Rolon; Amy Buresh; Angela Wolf; Anil Lewis; Art
Schreiber; Beth Rival; Bill Packee; Bob Kresmer; Carl Jacobsen; Cathy Jackson;
Charlene Smyth; Christine G. Hall; Dan Hicks; Daniel Burke; Don Galloway; Donna
Wood; Elsie Dickerson; Frank Lee; Franklin Shiner; Fred Schroeder; Gary Ray;
Gary Wunder; J.W. Smith; James Antonacci; Jennelle Bichler; Jennifer Dunnam; Joe
Ruffalo; John Batron; John Fritz; Joyce Scanlan; Ken Rollman; Kevan Worley; Kim
Williams; Larry Posont; Lynn Majewski; Marie Johnson; Mary Willows; Matt Lyles;
Matt Lyles; Melissa Riccobono; Michael Barber; Michael Freeman; Mika Pyyhkala;
Nani Fife; Pam Allen; Parnell Diggs; Patti Chang; Rena Smith; Richard Gaffney;
Ron Brown; Ron Gardner; Sam Gleese; Scott LaBarre; Selena
Sundling-Crawford<BR><B>Subject:</B> NFB President Marc Maurer to Receive
Honorary Doctorate from University of South Carolina
Upstate<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Garamond><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><FONT
face=Helvetica><FONT size=4>FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></B></DIV>
<DIV align=left>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT
face=Helvetica>CONTACT:<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Chris
Danielsen<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>Director of Public
Relations<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 659-9314, extension
2330<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><FONT face=Helvetica>(410) 262-1281
(Cell)<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
href="mailto:cdanielsen@nfb.org"><FONT
face=Helvetica>cdanielsen@nfb.org</FONT></A><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt"><FONT face=Helvetica><FONT size=4>NFB
President Marc Maurer to Receive Honorary Doctorate<BR>from <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">South Carolina</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>
Upstate<o:p></o:p></FONT></FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal
align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><I
style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p><FONT
face=Helvetica> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Baltimore, Maryland (May 3, 2010):
</SPAN></B><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The National
Federation of the Blind (NFB), the largest organization of blind people in the
United States, today announced that its president, Dr. Marc Maurer, will receive
an honorary doctor of laws degree</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT face=Helvetica>
from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">South Carolina
Upstate</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> at the </FONT></SPAN><SPAN
class=apple-style-span><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; COLOR: black; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">2010 commencement
ceremony on May 4, 2010.</SPAN></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the
National Federation of the Blind, said: “I am pleased and privileged to receive
an honorary degree from the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">South Carolina
Upstate</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>As president of the largest organization of blind people in the
<st1:country-region w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region>, I have been
fortunate to play a role in many exciting and life-changing developments for
blind people in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">America</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While we have made much progress, there
is still more to be done.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Only 10
percent of blind children are learning Braille in this country, and this
directly contributes to a 70 percent unemployment rate among blind people in the
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</SPAN>I humbly accept this honor on behalf of blind Americans and pledge to
work harder than ever to ensure that the blind are not left behind in today’s
society.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Maurer earned
his law degree from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Indiana</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceType
w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> in 1977 and began focusing on
representing blind individuals in the courts.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>A member of the bar in <st1:State
w:st="on">Indiana</st1:State>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ohio</st1:State>, <st1:State
w:st="on">Iowa</st1:State>, <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Maryland</st1:place></st1:State>, and the Bar of the Supreme Court,
Maurer is one of the most experienced lawyers in the field of civil rights and
discrimination against the blind. <BR><BR>Maurer has been president of the
National Federation of the Blind since 1986.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In that capacity, he joined President
George W. Bush in the Oval Office in 2001 to celebrate the organization’s
Everest Expedition, and was present for Bush’s signing into law the </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Help <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">America</st1:country-region></st1:place>
Vote Act of 2002.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has promoted
new technology for the blind, including the knfbReader <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Mobile</st1:place></st1:City> (a revolutionary
cell phone application that scans and reads aloud most printed material) and the
prototype vehicle for the Blind Driver Challenge.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has overseen the visionary expansion
of the <SPAN class=caps>NFB</SPAN> Jernigan Institute, the first training and
research institute for the blind, led by the blind. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>He has also previously served as
president of the North America/Caribbean Region of the World Blind Union.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>In November 2009, Dr. Maurer was awarded
the </SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN" lang=EN><FONT
face=Helvetica>Rev. John J. Cavanaugh, C.S.C., Award for outstanding
contributions in the field of public service from the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Notre Dame Alumni
Association</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>.<o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For more
information about the National Federation of the Blind, please visit <A
href="http://www.nfb.org/">www.nfb.org</A>.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal align=center><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">###<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"
class=MsoNormal align=center><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p><FONT
size=5> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">About the National Federation of the
Blind<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: 45.8pt 91.6pt 137.4pt 183.2pt 229.0pt 274.8pt 320.6pt 366.4pt 412.2pt 458.0pt 503.8pt 549.6pt 595.4pt 641.2pt 687.0pt 732.8pt"
class=MsoNormal><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">With more than
50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest and most
influential membership organization of blind people in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place>. The NFB improves blind people’s
lives through advocacy, education, research, technology, and programs
encouraging independence and self-confidence. It is the leading force in
the blindness field today and the voice of the nation's blind. In January
2004 the NFB opened the National Federation of the Blind Jernigan Institute, the
first research and training center in the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">United
States</st1:country-region></st1:place> for the blind led by the
blind. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-pagination: none; mso-layout-grid-align: none"
class=MsoNormal><B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial; FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P></FONT></DIV>
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