Colorado State University is proud to participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate about disability employment and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. This year’s theme is “My disability is one part of who I am.”
To celebrate National Employment Disability Month, the Office of Equal Opportunity has partnered with Resources for Disabled Students, the Center for Community Partnerships, the Department of Occupational Therapy, the Career Center, the College of Business, the Muslim Student Association and Ram Events to provide programming for the campus community throughout the month. The first event featured American actress, comedian and advocate Maysoon Zayid, who spoke on Oct. 8 in the Lory Student Center.
The events
Individuals with Disabilities: Transitioning from Student to the Workforce
4-5:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 12, in the Career Center, Room 120 of the Lory Student Center. The primary audience for this free discussion is CSU students, but it is also open to all staff and faculty. This discussion will include information on available job resources for individuals with disabilities, how and when to self-identify as an individual with a disability in the employment context, differences in obtaining accommodations as a student versus as an employee, and how to request accommodation for a job interview. This discussion will also provide helpful information for students with disabilities applying to the Workforce Recruitment Program. The application deadline for the Workforce Recruitment Program is Oct. 19, and students are encouraged to apply online at wrp.gov. This event is presented by the Career Center and the Department of Occupational Therapy in collaboration with Resources for Disabled Students and the Office of Equal Opportunity.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Seeing People with Disabilities as Employable
11 a.m.-noon, Wednesday, Oct. 14, in the Bohemian Auditorium, Rockwell Hall West, Room 116. This event is part of the College of Business Social Justice Workshop series. Faculty member Stanley Slater will be co-facilitating the workshop with Rose Kreston from Resources for Disabled Students. The focus of this SJWS will be on the fundamentals of ability status, daily interactions, stigmas that surround people with disabilities, and the hurdles someone with disabilities faces when applying for jobs. This workshop will show a portion of a film called No Way In, followed by an interactive discussion. E-mail Karissa Stolen at karissa.stolen@colostate.edu if you would like to attend. The workshop is free and open to all students, all staff, and faculty. This event is presented by the College of Business and Resources for Disabled Students in collaboration with the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities
11 a.m.-noon., Friday, Oct. 16, in the Lory Student Center, Room 322
1-2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Lory Student Center, Room 312
This presentation provides an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, and provides an overview of the accommodation process at CSU, including definitions and terms. This event is presented by the Office of Equal Opportunity, is free, and is open to all students, all staff and faculty.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and the ADA Amendments Act: Information for Supervisors
9-10 a.m., Monday, Oct. 19, in the Lory Student Center, Room 324
3-4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 23, in the Lory Student Center, Room 312
This presentation provides an overview of the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act, protections extended by the Acts, a supervisor’s responsibilities with regard to the Acts, guidance on how to interact with an employee with a disability, and information on the reasonable accommodation process. Though the target audience is any supervisor at CSU, this free presentation is open to all students, staff and faculty. This event is presented by the Office of Equal Opportunity.
The Americans with Disabilities Act and Pregnancy
3-4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19, in the Lory Student Center, Room 324
9-10 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 22, in the Lory Student Center, Room 324
This presentation provides information on the interplay between the ADA and pregnancy, including whether pregnancy can be a disability, guidance on work restrictions associated with pregnancy, and the accommodation process. This presentation is free and open to all students, staff and faculty. This event is presented by the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Veterans and Disability: Supporting and Understanding Life After Service
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 20, in the Lory Student Center, Room 322
This session is a guided discussion that will discuss the strengths and challenges that veterans with disabilities bring to our community. This session is designed to encourage audience participation and will include a discussion about military culture, stigmas surrounding veterans with disabilities, and strategies to support disabled veterans in the classroom and/or workplace. It will also feature problem-solving audience questions. This event is free and open to all students, staff, faculty and the general public. This event is presented by the Center for Community Partnership’s New Start for Student Veterans in collaboration with the Office of Equal Opportunity.
Josh Sundquist, Paralympian and Motivational Speaker
7-8 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 27, in the Lory Student Center, North Ballroom
Josh Sundquist a bestselling author, motivational speaker and Paralympic ski racer. He has spoken across the world to groups ranging from Fortune 500 companies to inner city public schools to the White House. At age 9 Sundquist was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and given a 50 percent chance to live. He spent a year on chemotherapy treatments and his left leg was amputated. Doctors declared him cured of the disease at age 13, and he took up ski racing three years later. He trained for the next six years and in 2006 he was named to the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team for the 2006 Paralympics in Turino, Italy. Sundquist has been featured on CNN, USA Today and NPR. His memoir, Just Don’t Fall, was a national bestseller. This event is presented by Resources for Disabled Students, the Office of Equal Opportunity, and Ram Events. More information to come.
