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 The award recognizes notable Heartland alumni who
demonstrate exceptional achievement in their profession and make a
positive impact on their community.
Casper and Rao will be recognized during the College’s Commencement
ceremony to be held virtually on May 15, 2020. Awardees are selected
from nominations by fellow Heartland alumni, faculty, staff,
students and community members.
Richard Casper is a United States Marine veteran, Purple
Heart recipient, artist, and entrepreneur. He is the co-founder and
executive director of CreatiVets, a non-profit that provides art,
music, and writing programs for combat veterans with post-traumatic
stress and traumatic brain injuries. He is also the co-founder of
two music companies, Casparr and We Should Write Sometime. As a
songwriter, his work has been featured in more than 45 films and tv
shows.
Caspar was named one of TIME Magazine's Next Generation Leaders, is
the feature of TIME’s documentary Evidence of Things Unseen, and has
been recognized by President George W. Bush and The Bush Institute
for his passion and work helping combat veterans.
Caspar served in the USMC from 2003-2007. After a tour in Iraq, left
him with a traumatic brain injury and post traumatic stress, he
discovered art and song writing as therapeutic forms of expression.
He later went on to graduate from the School of the Art Institute of
Chicago. From his experiences, he created art and songwriting
programs for CreatiVets to help other combat wounded veterans heal.
Today, Caspar teaches art at the School of the Art Institute of
Chicago, Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of
Southern California. He resides in Nashville with his wife Ashley
and son Barrett.
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Dr. Seshanand Rao is a physician and Chair of
the Department of Internal Medicine at Northwestern Medicine Delnor
Hospital in Geneva, Illinois.
After arriving emigrating from India, Rao attended Heartland
Community College. He earned his Certified Nurse Assistant
certificate from HCC in 2004. He later graduated from Illinois State
University and Rush University Medical College.
His experience as a Heartland student, through a CNA practicum at a
McLean County long term care facility, solidified his desire to
become a doctor. Working with the population there taught him how
fragile one becomes in old age. He learned then that he wanted to
provide care for the elderly.
Dr. Rao credits HCC faculty for helping him process and truly
understand how to best care for the people he would see throughout
his career. “It was a phenomenal experience. I had instructors who
took the time and really explained and mentored me as a
professional,” says Rao.
Dr. Rao lives with his wife and 2 children in the Chicago area.
[Steve Fast
Director, Public Information
Heartland Community College]
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