Salem Scholars Making an Impact

Having lost my sight as a teenager, I learned the wonderful benefit of a higher and postgraduate education. We are confident that the limitless power of innovative and creative minds coupled with a great education will lead to ideas that will bridge the gap between the able-bodied and those of us with a disability.”

– Richard Salem, CEO Salem Solutions

BY AMY HARROUN

ACCORDING TO THE WORLD HEALTH Organization, “1.3 billion people – or 1 in 6 people worldwide –experience significant disability.” In Florida alone, there are 5 million adults with disabilities, 70% of whom are under- or unemployed. Focused on reducing the impact of individual challenges of those managing life with a disability, as well as on the community at large, the Judy Genshaft Honors College is making significant strides through innovation in a wide variety of fields.

Through the Salem Scholars Program, students in the Honors College have had the opportunity to develop their own ideas to make a positive difference in the lives of persons with disabilities, their families, and the communities in which they live.

Founded in 2019 with funding from Richard and Jule Salem, the program hosts a Grand Challenge Competition each year to identify the next cohort of Salem Scholars. Richard Salem understands first-hand the importance of supporting those living with disabilities. “Having lost my sight as a teenager, I learned the wonderful benefit of a higher and postgraduate education,” says the distinguished local attorney and CEO of VASTEC, a digital data transformation company. “We are confident that the limitless power of innovative and creative minds coupled with a great education will lead to ideas that will bridge the gap between the able-bodied and those of us with a disability.”

To harness this potential, the Salems partnered with the Honors College to create a competition to address “grand challenges” such as accessible technologies, food insecurity, lack of education, and inequality. It encourages students to create innovative, meaningful solutions to address these and other barriers confronted by the disability community.

“It started with a walk along the Terrell Sessums Mall,” which was named in honor of the Salems’ longtime friend and law partner, “that led to a visit with Dr. Lindy Davidson’s class,” says Richard Salem. “We met some of her students and were inspired by their interest and enthusiasm in how they wanted to contribute to the quality of life for people with disabilities. It was gratifying to learn more about their understanding and willingness to address the needs of persons with disabilities. That was a defining moment for both of us. Jule and I met with Dr. Charles Adams, Dean of the Judy Genshaft Honors College, to explore ways in which we could support the excellent work of these students, as well as those that follow in years to come.”

The Grand Challenge competition assists students with the process of advancing an idea through the concept and development stages with an eventual goal of putting those ideas into practice. “It has been so wonderful working with the Salems on this program,” says Davidson, Associate Dean of the Judy Genshaft Honors College. “We share a disappointment that disability research often does not result in tangible outcomes. The Grand Challenge competition addresses this by funding the steps necessary to turn meaningful ideas into reality.”

To participate, students form teams and submit proposals for addressing the selected challenge. The top teams progress to the next round where, after receiving feedback, they pitch their ideas to a panel of judges who award a winning team with the Salem Scholarship and the opportunity to develop their concept into a reality with financial and mentorship support.

“It’s just amazing to see the creativity and ingenuity that goes into the students’ ideas each year,” says Jule Doran Salem, Managing Director of Salem Solutions. “I give the judges credit and am glad we are not the ones who need to choose the winner. They are all so good!”

Regardless of whether they are selected as Salem Scholars, the Grand Challenge participants all benefit from the process. “They have thought-provoking conversations with their peers and learn how collaborative teamwork can advance their understanding of both disability issues and innovation,” says Davidson.

The Salems look forward to the competition each year and enjoy working with the students.

“We have a deep-seated and genuine interest in the advancement of social inclusion, civic engagement, and employment for persons with life-altering disabilities,” says Richard Salem. “This competition is designed to support those important initiatives.”

Salem Scholars have already made their mark on the world. Through the program, scholars have presented at the Global Health Catalyst Summit in Washington, D.C. In addition, Kevin Nguyen, a 2020 recipient and Rhodes Scholarship semi-finalist, created a team to launch his idea on the global scale, developing an international curriculum for disability awareness and accommodation in education that will be used in both Bangladesh and Vietnam.

“This work is a great example of why the Salem Scholars program is so important,” says Adams. “The Grand Challenge competition provides our students with support, guidance, and networks to advance ideas that can have lasting impacts for those living with disabilities. We are very grateful to Richard and Jule for their support of this meaningful work and are excited to kick off the fifth year of the program.”