WSSU faculty member Dr. Keisha Rogers earns awards from two professional rehabilitation associations
Dr. Keisha Grayson Rogers, associate professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Counseling at Winston-Salem State University, has received awards from two professional rehabilitation counseling associations.
The most recent award was the 2023 Dr. Sylvia Walker Multicultural Award presented by the National Rehabilitation Association (NRA) at its fall conference. The NRA is the oldest professional member organization in the United States that advocates for the rights of individuals with disabilities while also promoting high quality ethical and collaborative practice across the rehabilitation profession.
The award recognizes Rogers’ career in rehabilitation counseling and service to the profession that exemplifies her commitment to individuals with disabilities as an educator, practitioner, and leader at state, national and international levels. In addition, her courage and passion to address multicultural issues and deliver a more positive impact on service planning and delivery enhance the profession and the NRA overall.
Among her accomplishments for this award include: facilitating the growth and development of culturally diverse students by mentoring, nurturing and supporting more than 30 graduate students to attend national conferences and 22 graduate students to present poster/concurrent workshops at those conferences; grantsmanship in excess of $1.5 million to support students’ education and student research in the areas of multiculturalism, diversity and equity; leadership in national rehabilitation and counseling associations; prolific scholarly research resulting in 15 peer-reviewed publications and 26 peer-reviewed presentations; and international service, training, and consulting related to multiple marginalized populations.
Rogers also received the 2023 Joyce Keener Meritorious Service Award this year at the National Association of Multicultural Rehabilitation Concerns’ (NAMRC) 29th Annual Training Conference in Tulsa, Okla.
NAMRC is a professional association whose mission is promoting cultural diversity and disability through advocacy for excellence and equity in rehabilitation research, education and practice.
Rogers, NAMRC president, was recognized for her loyal service and leadership to the association. She has served as the NAMRC Board of Directors’ secretary, president-elect and acting president. She has also led NAMRC’s Fundraising Committee as chair or co-chair since 2017, raising more than $65,000 over the years and breaking records of monies raised in the history of the association.
She executed NAMRC’s first virtual Town Hall, addressing the pandemic and issues of systemic oppression on minority communities; advocated for NAMRC to be included in major task forces impacting the profession; and relaunched the NAMRC newsletter reviving a line of communication between the board and the organization’s membership body.
Rogers has also served on various committees outside of the organization, bringing representation to those organizations and furthering NAMRC’s agenda. She facilitated research on professional membership association in rehabilitation counseling with specific inclusion of NAMRC members who were left out of other studies conducted in this area. This research can be used to develop membership recruitment to continue the work of NAMRC.
Through her extensive fundraising, her extensive committee work and her work in various elected positions, Rogers has shown a strong dedication to the field, the organization and individuals with disabilities.
