Honoring Professor George Dollar
With a heavy heart, we share the sad news that Professor George Dollar has passed away.
Though he knew little about teaching people with disabilities when he came to MTC in 2017, Professor Dollar dedicated himself to learning ways to teach people with varying learning styles related to autism and other disabilities. Devoted and determined, he quickly set out to learn how to be the best possible instructor for people with disabilities eager to find their place in the workforce.
Professor Dollar firmly believed that people with disabilities were not predestined for a lifetime of entry- level jobs. He broke down barriers, changing lives forever. He was committed to the success of MTC’s innovative post- secondary school, eMerge Career Collaborative. With patience and compassion, Professor Dollar opened the worlds of technology and logistics to neurodiverse and deaf students, giving them the skills they need for careers in these fields. His guidance and sound judgement elevated eMerge from a program to becoming a post- secondary school, by earning its first provisional license from the FDOE.
He changed lives. One student who earned his Microsoft Technical Associate (MTA) certification in Professor Dollar’s eMerge courses was hired as a member of the staff of a City of Tampa Council Member, working at City Hall on research and other projects. With Professor Dollar’s enthusiastic support and personalized instruction, this student was the first eMerge graduate to be hired for an office-based position. Always going above and beyond, Professor Dollar even drove the student to his job at City Hall. In another instance, during months of one-on-one instruction, Professor Dollar taught a Deaf student in tech classes translated simultaneously with two sign language interpreters, one using Universal Sign Language and the other a dialect from the student’s native country. He never wavered and gave of his time, talent, and knowledge in a slow, methodical, and patient fashion.
With the certifications, skills and confidence earned in Professor Dollar’s classroom, two eMerge graduates were awarded the RESPECT of Florida Microenterprise grant for rising entrepreneurs with disabilities. Professor Dollar supported their dreams by relying on his extensive background in the business world. He was passionate about helping his students master the course material and worked closely with MTC employment specialists and coaches to help students leverage what they’ve learned in his classroom to land job in their chosen fields. Most recently, Professor Dollar had been utilizing his business background to support the expansion of MTC’s mission- based enterprises.
Professor George Dollar was awarded as a Community Hero by the Tampa Bay Lightning and received the 2022 Outstanding Community Service Award by the Alliance for Citizens with Disabilities for his dedication and commitment to the full inclusion of citizens with disabilities throughout Hillsborough County. Professor Dollar said he was surprised when he heard he received the awards, because the job itself is so rewarding. “These skills change the future for many of these students, redirecting their employment trajectory and helping them live out their full potential,” he said.
Professor Dollar called teaching his mission. We call it Amazing Grace.
We will miss him, his wisdom, and his guidance. We are grateful that he walked through the doors at MTC and changed so many lives for the better.
In honor of Professor Dollar's legacy and the lives he changed, we invite you to join us in supporting MTC's mission. Your generous donation will help us build upon the incredible foundation he established, providing innovative programs and resources for individuals with disabilities, ensuring that we carry on his vision of inclusion, education, and empowerment.