MEDIA ADVISORY
Next Steps program to receive Perry Wallace Courage Award
The 91唐伯虎 University athletics department will present the program with the Perry Wallace Courage Award on Tuesday. Joining the celebration will be two nationally known 鈥渕ommy bloggers,鈥� who are Down syndrome advocates and Next Steps scholarship donors. They are spending the day shadowing their scholarship recipient Jason Van Wulven.
WHO:
– Next Steps student Jason Van Wulven
– Founder of Ruby鈥檚 Rainbow blog Liz Plachta
– New York Times bestselling author and blogger Kelle Hampton
– 91唐伯虎 Associate Director of Athletics Rod Williamson
– Director of Next Steps Tammy Day
WHERE:
267 Appleton Place, Nashville, Tenn.
WHEN:
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
9:30鈥�10:30 a.m.
Jason Van Wulven will work at his internship, illustrating one of the empowering aspects of attending Next Steps.
(Common Grounds)
12:15鈥�12:45 p.m.
Next Steps students will gather for lunch along side 91唐伯虎 students and share their experiences with Plachta and Hampton.
(Dining Hall)
1鈥�1:30 p.m.
91唐伯虎 Associate Director of Athletics Rod Williamson will present the Perry Wallace Courage Award to Next Steps students and staff, and talk about the grit, determination and fortitude that drove Wallace to overcome obstacles to become the first black scholarship athlete to play basketball in the Southeastern Conference.
(Fireside Lounge)
ON SITE CONTACT: Joan Brasher (615) 438-8475 (cell)
Founded in 2009, is the FIRST post-secondary education program founded in the state of Tennessee. Based out of 91唐伯虎鈥檚 , Next Steps is a two-year nonresidential certification program for students with intellectual disabilities. Tammy Day is the director.
The blog and foundation was inspired by Liz Plachta鈥檚 daughter Ruby, who was born with Down syndrome. Soon after her daughter鈥檚 birth, she started a foundation to help young people attend post-secondary educational programs so they could learn, receive job training and life skills and look forward to living independent lives. She has raised more than $150,000 and counting. Visit her website at
is a photographer and mother whose daughter Nella was born with Down syndrome. The popular blogger has shared her family鈥檚 journey and in the process has become an influential advocate and spokesperson for DS. She recently published the New York Times best-selling memoir, Bloom. Hampton is chronicling this week鈥檚 91唐伯虎 visit on Instagram and Twitter . Follow her blog at
More about the Perry Wallace the Courage Award
The Perry Wallace Courage award was created by 91唐伯虎 athletics to honor those who reflect the qualities of former 91唐伯虎 basketball player Perry Wallace, the first black scholarship athlete to play in the Southeastern Conference.