News Release| CSU Razi Scholar; Cal State L.A.

September 14, 2010

Cal State L.A. doctoral student Robert David Black to receive $10,000 Ali Razi/Hearst Scholarship 

Scholar loses vision before grad school, maintains 4.0 GPA

Los Angeles, Ca. — “Indeed, most people would be surprised by how much they can learn by closing their eyes and just listening. Losing your sight can actually help you see,” said R. (Robert) David Black.

Pictured of R. David Black.

David Black, CSU Razi Scholar

Black, a California State University, Los Angeles (CSULA) student in the University’s doctoral program in educational leadership, has been honored as one of two 2010 CSU Trustee Ali C. Razi Scholars. The award, which includes a $10,000 scholarship, will be formally presented at the CSU Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday, Sept. 21, in Long Beach. 

The Razi award is the top honor given by the CSU Trustees to an already select group of CSU William Randolph Hearst Scholars, which includes one honoree from each of the 23 CSU campuses cited for academic excellence and commitment to education.

Black, who currently resides in Baldwin Park, came to California several years ago with a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University. While considering graduate programs, Black’s eyesight began to fail, and after six operations, the end result was blindness.

Undaunted, Black was determined to pursue his career in counseling and education.

“After my second operation, I began looking at different university graduate programs again, such as those in counseling,” he explained. “After my sixth and final operation—with my vision completely gone and the doctors telling me, ‘That’s all we can do right now,’ I knew I needed to start rebuilding my life. But I didn’t know how to be sightless.”

Black continued, “I had to learn to be humble and to ask for help. By asking for help, I have gained independence. Previously, I had my share of hardships from which I learned to become more adaptable, and even successful. Some describe this adaptability as ‘hardiness.’ Whatever it’s called, it helped me prepare to face one of my life’s biggest challenges.”

Wasting little time, Black immersed himself in studying Braille and learning other tools and techniques designed for the visually impaired. Within two months, he enrolled at CSULA in a graduate program to study rehabilitation counseling. 

“At the Braille Institute, they told me it would probably take two years to learn Braille and JAWs (a computer screen-reading program),” said Black. “Two months later, using books and other materials I had purchased, I had a solid grip on JAWS and learned Braille. I then found myself back in school, pursuing a master’s degree at Cal State L.A.”

In 2008, Black earned his master’s degree in counseling with a 4.0 GPA. While in graduate school, he was inducted into the University’s Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society and served as its student vice president. He also worked as a recruitment officer for CSULA’s chapter of the Rehabilitation Counseling Association and was a member of its national association.   

Now, as a student in CSULA’s doctoral program in educational leadership, Black focuses on students with special needs and working in support services. He expects to earn his doctorate in 2012. Black is also a certified rehabilitation counselor, holds a certificate in career counseling and serves on CSULA’s Accessible Technology Initiative Committee.

Black’s ability to take life-altering challenges in stride and use them to his advantage have made quite an impression on his fellow students and those who teach at CSULA.

“David is a role model for all of us in the program; both his fellow students and faculty. He helps us learn how best to assist him so that he can be an equal participant in class and in the doctoral program,” said  Lois Andre-Bechely, associate professor and director of the Ed.D. program in educational leadership at CSULA. “As faculty, our course preparation, our instructional decisions and our teaching in class have improved because of David’s thoughtful and clear suggestions on how we can make things more accessible for him. As a result, it has made us better instructors and it has benefitted the other students in class, too. He is having a powerful impact on how we do doctoral level study now and with our future cohorts.”

With passion to help others, regardless of his limitations, and a desire to retain and cherish his life now and before blindness, Black is humble and thankful to those who have helped him succeed and looks forward to interacting with those who will help shape his future.

“As demonstrated in my life, both adversity and opportunity can appear in many different ways. The path to success can be found in anyone who takes the time to learn from both of them,” he said. “For example, I still play basketball and hike. While my blindness has presented—and will always present—unique challenges, it has also led me to meet some remarkable individuals whose perspectives have helped me to see life and opportunities in new ways.”

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