Hira Byrne Paulin '12, G'13, PhD - Young Alumni Award
Hira Byrne Paulin '12, G'13, PhD - Young Alumni Award.
Hira Byrne Paulin '12, G'13, PhD - Young Alumni Award
Hira Byrne Paulin '12, G'13, PhD credits her Springfield College education in helping turn her passions into a very rewarding career. Paulin is a double alumna earning her bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation and Disability Studies and a master's degree in Rehabilitation Counseling. As a current Certified Rehabilitation Counselor, she specializes in supporting individuals with service-connected and late-in-life disabilities.
Paulin’s passions are centered on destigmatizing disability topics and demystifying disability and/or rehabilitation services. Enriched in our Humanics philosophy, Paulin strongly believes in helping others develop self-advocacy skills so they can be an equal participant in their healthcare, treatment, and disability-related services.
Paulin has worked as a disability professional since graduating from Springfield College. She has primarily worked in higher education supporting diverse student populations. Centered on supporting students with disabilities and being the liaison between disability services and veteran services, Paulin helps service-connected disabled veterans learn about resources, programs and supports. Paulin assists active duty, transitioning service members, and veterans learning how to advocate for themselves when seeking and/or utilizing disability or rehabilitation services.
Currently employed by the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT)/National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID), Paulin is a member of an interdisciplinary team working for the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education National Center of Excellence, DeafTEC. The work of DeafTEC supports students who are deaf and hard of hearing in STEM education or industries.
In 2017, DeafTEC expanded support to student veterans with hearing loss with Project Good to Go (PG2G). PG2G is an interdisciplinary team of educators with diverse specialty backgrounds. PG2G works directly with student veterans to understand their experiences in the classroom and on campus as related to their service-connected hearing loss and tinnitus.
In addition, Paulin serves as access coordinator for the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Reporting to the Office of Disability Services, she provides equal access for students with disabilities. Paulin provides accommodations for access, disability-related academic and career guidance, and connects students with campus and/or community resources to support their personal and academic disability journey.
Paulin recently completed her PhD in Health Sciences at Northern Illinois University, focusing on military moral injury and posttraumatic growth. Her work reflects a deep commitment to veteran care, education, and mentoring. Paulin’s doctoral dissertation was titled, Beyond Combat: Moral Injury Exposure in Officer and Enlisted Marine Veterans with Diverse Deployment Histories and the Relationship with Posttraumatic Growth.
Paulin utilizes media opportunities to increase awareness for her work. She is co-host for the Vet S.O.S. Podcast Veteran Educational Resources Spotlight. This podcast segment is dedicated to sharing information about educational programs to institutions of higher learning for the entire military community. The intention is to increase awareness of different educational opportunities, programs and resources related to learning, growth, and development.
Since graduation, Paulin has been an active member of the Springfield College Alumni Council, and volunteered at both admitted student and prospective student open house events. She has regularly served as a mentor to current students during annual alumni and student career-networking events.
Paulin and her spouse, Matthew, have been married since 2012. They reside in South Hadley, Mass. with their dog Remie.
Response from Hira Byrne Paulin, PhD, CRC
It is a tremendous honor to be chosen for the Young Alumna Award. I sincerely thank the committee for their consideration and selection. I do not take lightly what it means to be a recipient of this award and to join the list of phenomenal alumni to receive it.
I entered SC as a transfer student from Holyoke Community College and had the privilege to stay through graduate school. In tandem with my thought-provoking classes, I took full advantage of campus activities, I rode on the SC Equestrian Team, served as a NSO Transfer Squad leader, was an active member of the Partners Program, worked in the then Multicultural Office with the late John Wilson, and participated in the annual Humanics in Action Day. These activities enriched my spirit and body.
I had the unique opportunity to earn my BS in Rehabilitation & Disability Studies (no longer a major) and then MEd in Rehabilitation Counseling in a three-year period, culminating in becoming a certified rehabilitation counselor. Because of SC, I have been lucky enough to turn my passions into a profession. I am grateful for the SC community, in particular Dr. Michael Accordino; Dr. Joseph Stano; Professor Thomas Ruscio, G’65; and SC alum Dr. Daniel Boutin ’97, G’00, who was my PhD dissertation chair.
As the spouse of a career enlisted active-duty Marine (Matthew, you are my greatest adventure), my career opportunities were always unpredictable. Thankfully, my SC education afforded me diverse and flexible options for employment and community engagement. I do all I can to pay it forward. SC helped me become a disability professional; my work has centered on supporting persons with disabilities and the military community in higher education and vocational rehabilitation. In the ethos of Humanics, I am a co-host on the Vet S.O.S. podcast, along with providing mentorship, training, and outreach on disability and higher education topics for the military community.
It has been wonderful to stay connected with SC through various events, as a member of the Alumni Council and through the friendships that will last a lifetime. To my unbeatable tribe of SC women: Stephanie B. Gdovin ’12, PhD; Jackie Hill ’11, DO; Malaina Rhodes ’11, DVM; Natalee R. Pender ’12, G’14, MSOT; and Kelli A. Rankins ’12, G’13, MBA; I appreciate you.
Thank you to my mothers, Lindsay and Barbara for your unwavering support. I conclude with saying a very special thank you to Dr. Carlton Pickron ’79, G’82, a noted and accomplished SC alum who has been a lifelong mentor and guardian to me.
