Frowine brings optimism to campus

Imagine not being able to watch the sunset, watch your favorite TV show, cross the streets on your own. How would that impact your life?

Bill Frowine, associate director of University Housing, began losing his sight at age seven and has responded to the everyday challenges in unique ways.

“Though it may take a little longer, I think people can accomplish their goals if they put their minds to it,” Frowine said.

Louie, an eight-year-old black lab, has been serving Frowine for almost seven years. Louie came from an organization called “Seeing Eye,” which is located in Morristown, New Jersey. Louie allows Frowine to safely cross intersections around campus.

“[Louie] stops if there’s a car coming down the street,” Frowine said. “If the car is really close, he’ll put the ‘reverse gear’ in and walk backwards.”

Frowine has been working for Georgia College & State University since June 2004. He said a main reason for his desire to come here was to “be down South.”

“I came for the opportunities here,” he said. “It’s a great university. The school is professionally growing as well.”

Frowine’s tasks primarily deal with administrating room assignments, making publications for University Housing, dealing with housing contracts, overseeing summer conferences and working on the University Housing Web site. Frowine has a machine that enables him to perform these duties by magnifying text 32 times. Speech software on his computer also assists him.

“Basically anything I point to, [the software] tells me the name and also what I’m typing,” Frowine said. “It’s really neat.”

Some material, however, can be more difficult for Frowine to read.

“It is a little more difficult to read things.” Frowine said. “That’s where I work with technology and my staff.”

In his free time, Frowine enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, traveling and fishing. He is also proud of the fact that he was a Para-Olympic alternate for Australia several years ago while he was in college.

“I played a sport called goal-ball, a three-on-three game for the visually impaired,” Frowine said.

Frowine’s disease, retinitis pigmentosa, is a genetic eye disease that is most commonly seen in those suffering from eye disorders. Characterized by progressive loss of visual field, night blindness and reduced or absent electroretinogram recording, this disease indicates a large portion of the retina is damaged.

In honor of No Boundaries Week at GC&SU, planned in conjunction with National Disabilities Awareness Month, Frowine spoke at the GIVE Center on Wednesday, Oct. 20 about sight impairment.

“One thing that’s very important is to be your own advocate,” Frowine advised those with a disability. “You have to accept that you have a disability or something that you need assistance with. But, then [you must] also provide solutions on how you’re going to try and overcome the problem.”

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Oct 22 2004. Filed under Other. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry