2024 Annual Award Winners
This year, we wanted to highlight the winners of our Annual Awards! These individuals were nominated by their peers for their outstanding work in the community that furthered the mission of The Arc of Bartholomew County.
Scroll down for a gallery from the 2024! Annual Award Ceremony!
Ajay Singireddy
David Stambaugh Volunteer of the Year Recipient
Award Description: Recognizes a volunteer who has given generously of time and talents to accomplish the mission of The Arc in meeting the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
About Ajay: Ajay is a senior at Columbus North High School with a passion for all things creative and collaborative. From painting to graphic design, his artistic journey has been marked by continuous growth and exploration and has helped him develop a multitude of useful and transferrable skills.
As an Editor-in-Chief of his school's newsmagazine, He’s been able to put these skills into practice as well as grow as a leader. Observing how people work together has developed his interest in sociology and politics, something he has sharpened through his experiences at YYGS and researching Political Sociology.
Simultaneously, he’s channeled his enthusiasm for community service into tangible impact by volunteering at several non-profits, such as Indiana Legal Aid, The Arc of Bartholomew County, and Love Chapel.
Ajay was the winner of the 2024 Flourishing Through the Arts grant from the Columbus Area Arts Council. He used the funds from the grant to do a 2-day workshop for people with disabilities through The Arc of Bartholomew County.
Looking forward, he is excited to use his talents and passions to help improve the community around him.
Susan Erickson
Educator of the Year Recipient
Award Description: Recognizes an educator/teacher/person who works in the educational arena and has demonstrated excellence in teaching and assisting students with special needs.
About Susan: Susan is passionate about every student understanding how they best learn and supporting them in their individual growth. Bringing energy to classes and connecting learning to life beyond high school are important ways for her to connect with students. She adores each of her students and wants to see them walk out the doors of our school and into the community as good human beings, ready for their next steps.
Susan has been a special education/ inclusion teacher for 7 years. Before that, she worked with youth as a teaching assistant, building technologist, 4-H/Youth Development Educator, 4-H club leader, youth group leader, and substitute teacher... 30+ years of being around young people!
For many years, people kept telling her that she was supposed to be a teacher. Susan finally listened and got her teaching degree and licensure. It was a twisted path to the destination but the best decision she ever made career-wise. She has a bachelor's degree from Purdue University, a Master's degree from Penn State University, and another Master's degree from Marian University.
Susan is married to John, and they have 3 daughters, 1 son-in-law, and 1 granddaughter.
Susan likes to read, walk or hike, refinish furniture, and, most of all, spend time with her family.
Jennifer Fields
Professional of the Year Recipient
Award Description: Recognizes a person employed in the field of serving individuals with developmental disabilities and whose work has resulted in improvement in supports and services for people with disabilities and their families.
About Jennifer: Jennifer has been happily married to Wendell for 24 years, and they share a wonderful son named Austin. Jennifer is the Executive Director and a Co-Founder of REACH Columbus, Inc. After Austin was born with multiple disabilities, Jennifer devoted herself to his care and became his fiercest advocate. She now channels that same determination to support other adults with disabilities and their families in our community and beyond. Jennifer currently employs 35 caregivers, and REACH Columbus Inc and REACHability serve 111 individuals from 4 counties.
Jennifer exemplifies dedication and passion in her role in Day Programming for individuals with disabilities. REACH is expanding its impact by opening a second facility, where she volunteers her time for remodeling while maintaining compliance at the existing center.In addition to her hands-on work, Jennifer navigates state-required waiver commitments and has overseen two audits, showcasing her thoroughness and resilience. For many, Jennifer creates a second home filled with love and security, making REACH a true sanctuary for participants and a place of peace for their families. Her blend of seriousness, fun, and determination makes her an unstoppable force in her field.
Columbus Air Park — Friend of The Arc Recipient
Award Description: Recognizes an individual or organization that has performed outstanding service on behalf of people with developmental disabilities and their families.
About Columbus Air Park: The AirPark Campus personnel have opened their hearts and minds to the idea of what if and why not. They have given BCSC space at The Columbus Learning Center to house our Empower program at no charge. As well, they have welcomed our students with intellectual and developmental disabilities into their campus student classes, volunteer opportunities, and fun activities/clubs for no charge. It's such a simple concept, yet it is moving the needle on what our community expects from people with disabilities and what it allows them to access. Our students are treated like every other college student on that campus.
Ivy Tech, BCSC, and IUC have an MOU (memorandum of understanding) in place that puts that commitment to our students in writing. This also gives our work sustainability.
In the year and a half that Empower has been in motion, we all have come to realize that this concept is good for all of the students who attend the campus. The program has given purpose and meaning to students without disabilities. Many have become peer mentors to guide our students to independence. Others have found paying jobs assisting people with disabilities, and some have changed their majors to work professionally with people with disabilities.
Empower had empowered many, many youths, not just the intended population. It's super cool to watch. It's truly a symbiotic relationship that strengthens our community and has been a launching pad for our Empower students to learn how to work, play, and live in our community with integrity and purpose.
The leaders at The AirPark campus have had a vision of a space that is inclusive and safe for all individuals. They are achieving that mission, and the Empower program is one shining example.
What if? Why not?
Jason Sprague
Self-Advocate Award Recipient
Award Description: Recognizes an outstanding individual who is an achieving, inclusive member of his/her community.
About Jason: Jason Sprague is the SAT club president and is extremely active in the group. He is a passionate individual who works hard to advocate for himself and others with IDD.
He believes it is very important to be a self-advocate because "People can't read my mind on what I need or want, so it is very important to advocate for yourself."
He is incredibly thankful for his empowering support staff that has helped him get to where he is today
Jason has worked at TJ Max for the last 7 years. This job is important to him because he can make his own money and spend it how he chooses. It's important for people with IDD to have a job because it gives them a chance to learn new things.
Over the past 7 years, he's been given more duties and shown his responsibility and commitment to the job. Due to his dedication, he recently received the Associate of the Quarter Award!
Mackenzie Bailey
Youth Recognition Award Recipient
Award Description: Recognize a youth or group of youths/organization that has performed outstanding service on behalf of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.
About Mackenzie: Throughout her time at Columbus East High School, Mackenzie has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advocating for her peers with disabilities. She has spent countless hours supporting and empowering individuals of all abilities, whether it be through her involvement in Best Buddies, Unified Track, or United Sound. Her genuine kindness and patience create a welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and included. In addition to her work with students with disabilities, Mackenzie also encourages other students to join Best Buddies and Unified Track. Her leadership skills shine through in her involvement in various clubs and organizations, where she leads by example and encourages her peers to make a difference in the school community. Earlier this year, Mackenzie participated in the Best Buddies Leadership Conference and has encouraged her peers to use what she learned to grow the club at East. Mackenzie's dedication to serving others and fostering inclusivity makes her an outstanding candidate for the Arc of Bartholomew County's Youth Recognition Award. I wholeheartedly believe she is deserving of this honor.
Dennis Heathfield
President's Award Recipient
Award Description: The President’s Award is chosen by The Arc of Bartholomew County’s President for someone who they believe deserves to be recognized for their work in the community and advocacy for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
About Dennis: Dennis joined Cummins in 1994 as a Product Manager in the Aftermarket Parts Business, held roles in off-highway markets Strategy & Planning and Engine Business Marketing, and has since served in several leadership positions, including Executive Director, North America On-Highway Field Sales; Executive Director, and more.
Prior to joining Cummins, Dennis owned and operated a small business in Michigan and also worked at JI Case as a Design Engineer in Wisconsin. Dennis currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Cummins Political Action Committee and is a member of the Indiana Special Education State Advisory Council.
Dennis holds a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering from Michigan State University and an MBA from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He and his wife, Lori, have two children – Andrew (married to Julie), and Meredith (married to Jon), and five amazing grandchildren, Mae, Hattie, Ann, Heath and Brook. In his free time, Dennis enjoys being with family and friends, reading, being outdoors, cheering for Michigan State athletics, running, and cycling.
He is what this world needs more of today- a true champion for neurodiverse people. He strategically studied processes in Cummins that inhibited opportunities for people with disabilities and he then provided answers on how to remove those obstacles and provide support for managers and the people they hired. He also worked towards finding opportunities for Cummins to hire our BCSC students with disabilities so they, too, could wonder What if and Why not.
Jacob Stansbury
Ben Baker Memorial Scholarship Recipient
Scholarship Description: The Ben Baker Scholarship celebrates the strives that have been made to include and advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in our community, as well as create opportunities to further the improvement of their lives. Recipients demonstrate an interest in assisting or advocating for individuals who have disabilities and/or plan to pursue an education/career related to assisting or advocating for individuals who have disabilities.
About Jacob : Jacob is a graduating high school senior from Columbus Signature Academy. He intends to use the Ben Baker Memorial Scholarship to continue his education at Ivy Tech Community College, Columbus. More specifically, at the Muscatatuck Urban Training Center (MUTC), where he will focus on Cyber Security. Jacob wants to create accessibility software and adaptive computer accessories for people with disabilities.
