Allan Hancock College music professor Ann Lucas is on the short list of people who can say they’ve received a thank you letter from the president of the United States.
In a letter dated Sept. 22, President Barack Obama thanked Lucas for her generosity and service as an educator for work she did to help make Hancock more accessible for students with disabilities.
“Your selfless spirit reflects the essential American belief that we are part of something bigger than ourselves, and it’s clear you’ve made a difference on your campus,” the letter states.
The letter was written in response to a message the president received from an “enthusiastic and grateful student” who told Obama how Lucas moved her office to make room for a wheelchair lift to be installed in the music building.
“Together, we can build a Nation where all our people have equal opportunity and the support they need to achieve their dreams,” the letter said. “Kind acts like yours give me great hope for the future.”
The Allan Hancock Joint Community College District spent an estimated $57,000 to upgrade building E on the Santa Maria campus, which is the music building, according to Andrew Masuda, a college spokesperson. The money was spent to improve Americans with Disabilities Act access, lighting, and overall appearance, as well as make it easier to move equipment in the building, put in an additional stage, update instructional equipment, and improve acoustics in the building.
A new wheelchair lift and a new ramp for wheelchair and band equipment movement were among the modifications that make the building more ADA accessible.
“Overall, students and faculty are thrilled with the changes,” Masuda told the Sun. “It really boosted everyone’s spirits in the department.”
It especially made a difference for the Farrar family, Masuda added. Lucas was determined to see the renovations through in part because of the entry of a new student into the music program: Jason Farrar, who uses a wheelchair.
“Because of the stairs, it was difficult for Jason [to] get past the vending machines in the lobby to enter the practice room. He couldn’t get into the faculty office at all,” Lucas said in a press release. “I am thrilled our dean and administrators supported our efforts, allocated the funding and made it happen. Our music building is much more welcoming. The music department and our students are very thankful.”
She worked with college administrators to come up with a plan that included moving her office to install the lift that enables Farrar and others to access the music room. It was Farrar and his wife, Suzi, who wrote to the president to express their gratitude toward Lucas and the impact she’s had.
“Dr. Lucas wants her students to succeed, and because of her efforts, I am able to enrich my love for music as much as anyone else,” Farrar said in the release. “Dr. Lucas did not have to do what she did. But she is a professor who leads by example.”
School Scene is compiled by Managing Editor Camillia Lanham. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Jan 1-8, 2015.