A man who lost his sight after his car was struck by a drunk driver will challenge members of the University of Central Florida community to overcome obstacles and achieve their dreams.

Marcus Engel, a best-selling author and motivational speaker, will be at UCF this week as part of the university’s observance of National Disability Awareness Month. Engel became blind his freshman year of college and since then has traveled the country to raise disability awareness.

Engel will make three presentations on Tuesday, Oct. 22, that will motivate students and educate faculty and staff about working with students with disabilities.

The first event will be a “Lunch & Learn” event starting at 12:30 p.m. in room 245 of the Recreation and Wellness Center.

At 3:30 p.m., Engel will speak with faculty and staff about inclusive classrooms. The discussion will be held in room 205 of Classroom I.

Engel will share his story of recovery and overcoming adversity during a speech at 7 p.m. in the Cape Florida Ballroom of the Student Union. He will challenge those in attendance to do away with self-limiting behaviors and encourage them to fulfill their dreams.

National Disability Awareness Month events continue next week when a panel of students with different disabilities will discuss their experiences in a talk titled “What’s Your Ability.” The event will start at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28, in the Key West Ballroom of the Student Union.