Chang ’92M Receives East Stroudsburg University’s MLK Jr. Faculty Award
Dr. Jyh-Hann Chang ’92M is the 2012 recipient of East Stroudsburg University’s Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Faculty Award for demonstrated espousal of the principles of King, such as leadership, courage and service to the community. Chang, who earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Arcadia currently, serves as an assistant professor of psychology for ESU.
Chang has overcome many obstacles during his educational journey. Probably the most critical was prior to his sophomore year at Ursinus. While on vacation in Ocean City, Md., Chang had a life-altering surfing accident that rendered him tetraplegic, with both legs paralyzed and limited use of his hands.
This disability served as the impetus for Chang to take the isolation out of physical disability for others like him.
With the help of some of his colleagues at New Mexico State University, and thanks to grant funding by the National Science Foundation, Chang helps connect people with disabilities to careers in computing fields through a series of workshops called Project ENABLE.
According to Chang, this program aims to give people with disabilities more exposure to computer science, recognizing both the need for workers with computer skills and the need of the disabled to develop job skills.
As a university professor, Chang has developed numerous courses including “The Psychology of Adjustment,” “Lifespan Development,” and “Infant and Child Development for Teachers.”
In 2010, he received the Ralph Vitello Award for Disability Services and continues to be an inspiration to his students, his colleagues and the community.
