Sheila Schneider:
CLASS OF 1976
Champaign Central High SchoolClass of 1976
Champaign, IL
University of Illinois - Fine ArtsClass of 2010
Urbana, IL
Parkland College - Fine ArtsClass of 2007
Champaign, IL
Edison Junior High SchoolClass of 1973
Champaign, IL
Holy Cross SchoolClass of 1972
Champaign, IL
Sheila's Story
Life: After graduation, I went to work at the Champaign- Urbana Courier for about a year, then with the Secretary of State at the driver's license station in Champaign. In 1981, I moved to Chicago. I worked at an insurance company for 2 years and a CPA firm for 1 year. In 1984 I moved to L.A. and worked at a drug and alcohol rehab center. While in L.A., I was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, a genetic eye disease. This causes peripheral and night vision to gradually decrease and may cause eventual blindness. My doctor informed me that I should not be driving because I was legally blind. Mr. Stewart definitely had a reason for yelling at me about my mistakes in driver's!
I moved back to Chicago in 1985 because of the bus system and went back to work at the same CPA firm that I worked for in 1983. In 1988, I went to work for a book publisher handling their accounting, book orders, and formatting of books in several languages. In 1996, I went to the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind, Inc. in Smithtown, NY and got my first guide dog, a yellow la...Expand for more
b named Russ. In April 2004 I quit my job in Chicago and moved back to Champaign to help my sister take care of my parents and to return to school. My dog Russ retired in July of 2005 and died in 2008. I returned to the school to get another dog, a golden retriever named Heather. She retired in 2013 and died in 2015. I now have a black poodle who is 6 years old. I received my Associate degree in Fine Arts from Parkland in May 2007. I completed my BFA in Sculpture. at UIUC and am the first legally blind person to do so. I then completed my MFA in Industrial Design at UIUC and am the first legally blind person in the world to accomplish this. I am currently teaching at Parkland College and have begun the process of opening my own design firm, which will design products and spaces for people with disabilities.
I'm single, but have 30 nieces and nephews as well as 43 great-nieces and nephews, and 3 great=great nieces and nephews. My Dad passed away in May 2006 and I am currently living with and taking care of my 99 year old Mom in our house on Church Street.
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