CDPI Webinar: Engaging Students with Disabilities in Career Development Programming

Cost: FREE!

Join Link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/97053477331                                 

Presenters: Larry Markle & Tehanee Ratwatte

Abstract: 
The number of students disclosing disabilities is increasing at a high rate at colleges and universities. These students often experience barriers to the typical programs and services provided by Career Centers, and many struggle to find and sustain equitable employment after graduation. Are Career Services professionals prepared to assist students with disabilities with career preparation? The presenters, a career services professional at Indiana University and a former longtime director of disability services at Ball State University, will lead a discussion that will provide attendees with best practices to engage students with disabilities in career services programming. CDPI members will learn about the types of disabilities on their campuses, ways to engage their disability services office and community partners, and innovative programming that is inclusive of students with disabilities.

Full Session Details:
The number of students disclosing disabilities is increasing at a high rate at colleges and universities. These students often experience barriers to the typical programs and services provided by Career Centers, and many struggle to find and sustain equitable employment after graduation. Are Career Services professionals prepared to assist students with disabilities with career preparation? The presenters, a career services professional at Indiana University and a former longtime director of disability services at Ball State University, will lead a discussion that will provide attendees with best practices to engage students with disabilities in career services programming. Amongst the topics that will be discussed: - The demographics of students with disabilities on campus and the obstacles students with varying types of disabilities experience; - The role of disability services and examples of successful partnerships between career and disability services; - How does the disclosure of disability process work in the employment setting and what type of accommodations are available; - Descriptions of local, statewide, and national services and programs to assist college students with disabilities searching for employment; and - Innovative ways to modify programming to be more inclusive of students with disabilities. While the presenters will share examples in each of these areas of successes and failures over the years, they will also engage attendees as to what has worked.

Presenter Bios:
Larry Markle is the Director of the Gregory S. Fehribach Center at Eskenazi Health in Indianapolis, a program that connects college students with physical disabilities with internships in fields related to the student’s major.  Prior to that, Larry was the Director of Disability Services at Ball State University for thirteen years. A 2019 recipient of the Association on Higher Education and Disability’s Meritorious Contribution Award, Larry has written multiple articles on disability and higher education that have been published in peer reviewed journals, and he has presented to dozens of regional and national conferences.  His email address is larry.markle@eskenazihealth.edu.

Tehanee Ratwatte is the Associate Director for Specific Student Populations at the Career Development Center at Indiana University, Bloomington.  Tehanee is a former international student, who holds an MBA and a MAE in Student Affairs in Higher Education from Western Kentucky University. Tehanee has previous experience working in residence life, international student immigration advising, and admissions recruiting at the undergraduate and graduate levels.  Tehanee’s email address is pratwatt@iu.edu