Tennessee Rehabilitation Center Graduates Overcome Challenges and Push Toward Success
More than 75 TRC students make strides toward a new beginning and independence after graduation
NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center in Smyrna, Tenn., will honor more than 75 graduates – students whose disabilities include traumatic brain injury, mental retardation and blindness. Graduates have chosen specific occupational paths and put forth much hard work and effort to become more self-sufficient and career ready. Through classroom and hands on training ranging from auto maintenance to business education and from food service to building maintenance, graduates have learned skills to prepare them for success in the workforce. The commencement program will be held on Friday, August 31.
Cherrell Campbell-Street, Assistant Commissioner of Rehabilitation Services will deliver the TRC commencement address. A student speaker, Richard Marker will share the podium during the graduation program which begins at 10 a.m. in the center’s gymnasium.
“We are proud of each of these graduates for the accomplishments they have made to reach this milestone in their lives,” said Department of Human Services Deputy Commissioner Shalonda Cawthon. “They have successfully overcome many barriers and did not accept them as permanent obstacles to their success. We wish the graduates well as they continue to be productive citizens and a true asset to the State of Tennessee.”
The Tennessee Rehabilitation Center is a state-operated comprehensive rehabilitation facility and is one of eight such centers in the nation. TRC provided Vocational Rehabilitation services to nearly 1100 students in FY 2012 and has an employment rate of 94% since 2011. Since opening its doors in 1977, the TRC has provided life and job skills training to more than 32,000 Tennesseans living with disabilities.
Services are provided on campus and the majority of students live in residential units on campus while receiving services. The TRC is located at 460 9th Ave., Smyrna, just east of the Smyrna Airport near Sam Ridley Parkway. For more information on the center, please visit http://tn.gov/humanserv/rehab/trc.html or call (615) 459-6811.
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