Tim Nugent

Tim Nugent was regarded as the father of accessibility in the U.S., and a visionary in changing attitudes towards people with opportunities. Nugent used sports to give opportunities to people with disabilities who were previously hidden away. In 1948 he founded the first comprehensive college program for people with disabilities at the University of Illinois, now known as the Division of Disability Resources and Education Services on the Urbana-Champaign campus. He also implemented wheelchair sports at the university in sports ranging from bowling to football and baseball. Starting the first wheelchair basketball team affiliated with a school, the center has grown into a hub that has produced many successful Paralympians and is now a U.S. Paralympic Training Site. Nugent founded the National Wheelchair Basketball Association in 1949 and served as Commissioner for the first 25 years. As president of the National Paraplegia Foundation for four terms, he was a leader in the development of architectural accessibility standards, public transport, adaptive equipment and recreation for people with impairments. His legacy has been recognized in various ways: in 2007 he was awarded the Chancellor’s Medallion by the University of Illinois; in 2011 he was named a Lincoln Laureate by the state of Illinois; in 2015 he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Illinois. After Nugent’s passing in 2015, Paralympian Tatyana McFadden posted the following tribute, “Tim Nugent made the difference in the lives of people with disabilities forever. He helped to change the lives of people with disability in the past, present, and even in the future. Thanks for making this world a better place.”