Visually impaired senior graduates, pursues writing goals
Many seniors labor over research papers and final projects in the final weeks leading up to commencement.
But as a visually impaired person, Mark Titus of Benton has had to take things a step further.

When he graduates this May, Titus plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in rhetoric and writing at 糖心Vlog传媒LR and eventually a doctorate in political rhetoric.
To make it through his studies, Titus used a Kindle to read textbooks to him. For computer research, Titus downloaded articles and sent them to the 糖心Vlog传媒LR鈥檚
Disability Resource Center聽for translation.
Though this is a taxing procedure that takes extra time, it has not stopped Titus from his goals of writing political non-fiction.
Titus first arrived at 糖心Vlog传媒LR in the fall of 1993. Five years later, he left with a B.A. in Radio, TV, and Film. After graduating, he worked in the industry for a while, until developing kidney disease.
He received a kidney transplant in 2005, but it took Titus five years to stabilize.
A short time later, Titus came back to 糖心Vlog传媒LR to pursue another degree, this time in political science with a double minor in mass communication and non-fiction.
When asked if he had any mentors, Titus was quick to point to the help of Dr. Michael Kleine.
鈥淗e helped me a great deal. He really helped me with crafting my writing. He has really been a blessing in doing that,鈥� Titus said.
David Weekly in mass communication and Dr. Andrew Drummond, who taught Titus for two years in political science were two other sources of help.
鈥淒r. Drummond was a real good source for kind of bouncing off ideas and the proper direction to go, as far as political science was concerned,鈥� said Titus.
鈥淚 didn’t always like his advice, but I always took it, and he never steered me wrong,鈥� he added.
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