May 20, 2026
Beacon College has earned a second consecutive spot on Forbes’s Accessibility 200 list. Earlier this week, Forbes unveiled its list of 200 leading innovators and impact-makers in accessibility for people with disabilities.
May 18, 2026
Charlie Ige, a rising senior, is observing animal behavior at ZooTampa at Lowry Park as part of her studies for a degree in anthrozoology.
May 15, 2026
In all, 87 graduates received degrees Saturday, including 53 Bachelor of Science, 19 Bachelor of Arts, nine Associate of Science and six Associate of Arts degrees.
May 14, 2026
Beacon College is excited to announce the appointment of Dr. James T. Brett to its Board of Trustees.
April 27, 2026
Beacon College will confer honorary doctorates on three internationally recognized learning disability advocates during its Commencement Exercises on Saturday, May 9, at 11 a.m. at the Brownwood Hotel & Spa.
April 10, 2026
As Beacon College prepares for the retirement of President George J. Hagerty, Ed.D., in June 2027, the search for our next leader is officially underway. Central to this process is the "Beacon Voice," the collective input of our faculty, staff, and students.
February 2, 2026
With a message centered on resilience and perseverance, Beacon College student speakers James Avery and Calinda Strayhorn reflected on the challenges they overcame to earn their degrees during the college’s Fall 2025 commencement ceremony.
January 21, 2026
Dr. George J. Hagerty, president of Beacon College, announced that he will retire at the conclusion of the 2026–27 academic year, which will mark the end of a transformative 14-year tenure defined by record enrollment, major campus improvements, strengthened academics and significant fundraising success.
November 13, 2025
Seeking to broaden "A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity" television show's reach, Beacon College joined the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), a nonprofit that distributes educational programming to public media stations across the country.
November 11, 2025
About 25 freshmen are enrolled in the peer program, receiving one-on-one check-ins from mentors. Groups are paired by shared interests and meet every other week for activities such as movie nights, pizza parties or gaming sessions.
November 11, 2025
As autumn paints much of the nation in gold and crimson — even if Florida skips the show — thoughts turn to turkey, togetherness and gratitude. At Beacon College, November brings its own spirit of Thanksgiving, and a recent campus survey reaped a bounty of appreciation among students, faculty and staff.
September 10, 2025
Beacon College has once again partnered with PBS member station WUCF TV to launch a new season of its award-winning television series, “A World of Difference: Embracing Neurodiversity.”
This international recognition reflects Beacon’s devotion to educating students with learning differences combined with unparalleled support services for our students. The honor affirms the hard work of Beacon students and the tireless dedication of our faculty and staff to their success. As we celebrate this achievement, we remain steadfast in providing a transformative educational experience for our students.
—Dr. George Hagerty, president
Beacon College’s holistic model integrates rigorous academics with personalized support designed to foster student success. Key components of its accessibility framework include:
This latest honor continues a trend of growing national recognition for Beacon College and its specialized mission and its standing among accredited colleges and universities. Recent rankings include No. 21 among Regional Colleges in U.S. News & World Report, the No. 1 ranking in the Peterson’s Guide “20 Great Colleges for Students with Learning Disabilities,” and No. 1 in Best Value Schools’ “20 Best Value Colleges for Learning Disabilities.”
Beacon College continues to set the standard for inclusive education, demonstrating that with the right support, students who learn differently can thrive in higher education and beyond.
The Accessibility 200 was compiled through interviews with more than 700 experts, along with an expert advisory panel. Emphasis was placed on breadth of true impact across the widest landscape. The final selections feature companies and individuals from more than 20 countries.
“Accessibility” is defined as products, software, and services that allow people with disabilities to have access to information, content, public spaces, employment, and life experiences. Examples include:
