Celebrating Disability Advocacy
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On October 16, 2023, IMPACTability board members, CareerReady! leaders, instructors, mentors, students, volunteers, supporters, and guest speakers gathered in person and virtually at BNY Mellon to celebrate disability advocacy. IMPACTability is the proud sponsor of College Students with Disabilities Advocacy Month each October. Together we recognized IMPACTability’s network of support for college students with disabilities at the City University of New York (CUNY).
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Building Connections: A Conversation with Karen Fung
Our Editor, Dawn, sat down virtually with program graduate Karen Fung to discuss her experiences with CareerReady!. Karen recently completed an associate’s degree in Liberal Arts at Kingsborough Community College and will attend City Tech in the fall to study Human Services.
New York City Imagine Awards honor IMPACTabilit
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The New York City Imagine Awards highlight excellence in the nonprofit sector. Ken Cerini of Cerini & Associates founded the awards program to invest in the success of area nonprofits. This year, the panel sought outstanding organizations serving the five boroughs in six categories. IMPACTability, a finalist in the DEIA category, was named for their CareerReady! program, which fights for equal access to employment opportunities for college students with disabilities.
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IMPACTability Supports the Campaign for Disability Employment
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IMPACTability proudly supports the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE), a national public education movement promoting the hiring, retention, and career development of individuals with disabilities in the American workforce. Through its extensive range of resources and empowering messages, CDE encourages businesses and stakeholders to recognize the immense value that people with disabilities bring to workplaces.
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IMPACTABILITY ANNOUNCES PARTICIPATION IN THE CAMPAIGN FOR DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT
IMPACTability's support for the Campaign for Disability Employment (CDE) demonstrates a commitment to promoting positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities. The CDE's resources and messages highlight the value that individuals with disabilities bring to the workplace, and encourage businesses to fully include them in their workforce. This aligns with my own dedication to creating an inclusive workplace that recognizes the strengths and contributions of all employees.
Congratulations CareerReady! Spring Graduates
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IMPACTability sends huge congratulations to nine CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services) students who graduated on May 9th from our Spring 2023 CareerReady! program. CareerReady! embodies IMPACTability’s mission to fight for equal access to employment opportunities for college students with disabilities. We empower students to break through workforce barriers and open doors through our intergenerational career readiness and mentoring certificate program.
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IMPACTability Partners with Bottomless Closet
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IMPACTability is excited to announce its partnership with Bottomless Closet, a non-profit organization that provides professional attire and job readiness resources for women entering the workforce. This collaboration offers City University of New York (CUNY) college students with disabilities who are enrolled in IMPACTability's CareerReady! Program the opportunity to receive five professional outfits, shoes, accessories, and additional training at no cost.
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VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION 2023 - SHOUTOUT TO OUR board members
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To all our Board Members - thank you! Your hard work in helping IMPACTability fight for equal access to employment for college students with disabilities needs to be recognized. Your expertise and love for our cause have been priceless, and we are proud to have a diverse and incredible board behind IMPACTability.
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VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION 2023 - SHOUTOUT TO OUR Mentors
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We want to give a big thank you to the IMPACTability Mentors for all of their hard work in helping us fight for equal access to employment for college students with disabilities. Your support has been invaluable to our cause, and we are proud to have you in our corner.
Together, we can continue to make a difference and create a more inclusive future for all. Thank you for your commitment to our mission, and we look forward to continuing to work with you. |
Volunteer appreciation 2023 - shoutout TO OUR VOLUNTEERS
CARDINAL CAREER & RESOURCE EXPLORATION FAIR - YORK COLLEGE
IMPACTability Attains Disability Mentoring Certification
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IMPACTability has achieved a great success by completing a four-month-long certification program organized by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition (NDMC). This certification was initiated by Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD.org) and MENTOR, and was joined by 16 mentoring organizations from 10 U.S. states and 1 international organization. Through this experience, IMPACTability's board members Pam Judd and Charnette Lewis, and CareerReady! Program Coordinator Elaine Rogers, have obtained over 20 hours of online training, participated in weekly discussion posts, attended live webinars, and created a detailed Inclusion Action Plan, ultimately taking the CareerReady! Program for college students with disabilities to the next level.
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IMPACTability Earns 2023 Bronze Seal of Transparency
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IMPACTability, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is proud to announce that it has obtained the Candid Bronze Seal of Transparency. This represents an important step in the journey of being a trusted, socially responsible organization. By attaining the Bronze Seal, donors can feel confident that their contributions are used effectively to provide college students with disabilities with the career readiness training and mentorship they need. For more information about IMPACTability and the Candid Bronze Seal, please visit our dedicated profile page at https://tinyurl.com/CandidIMPACTability. We thank you for your support!
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Disability Advocacy – Know Your Rights!
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CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services) students learned about disability self-advocacy firsthand at CareerReady! this spring. Guest Instructor Melissa Lomax has dedicated her career to empowering youth with disabilities so they may reach their desired levels of success and not the barriers of low expectations attempting to block their path. Melissa’s riveting program began with an interactive ADA poll. Melissa shared her own compelling story: she was an A student until she took a course with an inaccessible textbook.
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Making a Smooth Move from High School into College Services
SUSIE SCHAINOST, VP EDUCATION
Students with disabilities new to their college journey will find college level disability support services are different from high-school level services where a team of parents / guardians, educators and representatives speak together and plan for the student’s unique situation and needs.
Advisory Council Top Strategies for Internship Success
susie schainost, vp education
On March 31, 2022, IMPACTability’s Advisory Council presented Top Strategies for Internship Success, a virtual seminar for students in the CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment, Academics and Disability Services) program.
Program Graduation Highlights Spring 2022
Susie Schainost, VP Education
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“At the beginning of the program, I had some doubts about what I would get from the program because I’ve been in other programs that weren’t helpful for me. This program changed my mind and gave me great information. People don’t know where to go and it gives you a focus place, a place to learn about how to really prepare for getting a job.”— Student J.W. at the April 7, 2022, graduation.
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MAKING an Impact - Naisha Garris
By Tommy Reynolds
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Naisha Garris, a former Administrative Coordinator at John Jay College’s Office of Accessibility Services, is a role model of perseverance and volunteerism. Starting in 1998 as a student, Naisha came back to her alma mater in the Fall of 2018 in the Office of Accessibility Services. Since the Spring 2019 semester, Naisha has lead John Jay’s involvement with IMPACTability. Read more about her impact on students and our program.
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A Salute to Our 2021 Student Graduates and Volunteers
By Michelle Bisson
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Mentoring 4 Impact 2021 virtual graduation ceremonies for the City University of New York (CUNY) John Jay College of Criminal Justice and CUNY Guttman Community College were held on April 27 and April 29, respectively. Of the 20 student Mentees who attended the program, 17 were awarded scholarships of $250 to further their education. The requirements to earn a scholarship included successfully completing coursework, along with a Mentor recommendation. All students were recognized with certificates of participation. Students engaged in 34 hours of online learning, including resume writing, professional image, interview skills, disability advocacy, LinkedIn, and much more. Attendance at weekly sessions reached 90%, with one student attending 100% of courses, plus make-up sessions!
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First Ever Scholarships Awarded
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IMPACTability has awarded $4,250 to its 2021 scholarships to 17 outstanding City University of New York (CUNY) students who are pursuing their studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Guttman Community College.
Students enrolled in CUNY’s Office of Accessibility Services were selected for the scholarship based on their accomplishments in Image Impact’s career readiness and mentorship online program. Rigorous requirements included successfully completing foundation, core, and elective courses and receiving their Mentor’s letter of recommendation. Student winners will receive $250 to further their education from IMPACTability as part of Recognize College Students with Disabilities Month, which is sponsored by IMPACTability each May. |
Interview With Marcus Griffith
Disability Accommodation Specialist at CUNY Guttman
By Tommy Reynolds
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We sat with down with Marcus Griffith, Disability Accommodation Specialist at CUNY Guttman to discuss how our program has impacted his students. For students living with disabilities, these workshops and one-on-one mentoring provide an interactive format for students to gain personalized advice. Being with students who are in a similar situation helps them feel more comfortable opening up. The success of this year’s program and recent graduation is sure to create a buzz and excitement for next year.
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How to apply for Federal Employment
By Tommy Reynolds
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IMPACTability Board of Directors member Craig Weitzel, a seasoned investigator and federal employee, reached out individually to students with disabilities who were interested in pursuing a career in public service. The students were engaging and receptive to his thoughts and advice.
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Expansion News!
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We are thrilled to announce that IMPACTability has been approved to expand our career readiness and mentoring certificate program at 3 additional CUNY campuses starting in Fall 2021: City College CCNY, York, and City Tech. Plus, we are launching at John Jay College of Criminal Justice starting in February! Our career readiness courses will be offered virtually across multiple campuses and complemented with personalized one-on-one mentoring. We are excited for the opportunity to impact even more college students with disabilities in the coming years.
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Program Grant Awards!
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Our gratitude goes to the Focus for Health Foundation for their support. The mission of the Focus for Health Foundation (FFH) is to promote advocacy, education, and research to combat the rise of chronic illness occurring around the world. FFH generously provided IMPACTability with an additional $5,000 grant for our certificate program for college students with disabilities, which helps them to develop a plan, make positive career connections, learn from mentors, and build a more resilient future. Huge thanks to our friends at Focus for Health for helping to make our program better and better!
You can help too - donate today! Please consider donating to IMPACTability to positively impact college students with disabilities. |
Strategic Plan Put into Action
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Beginning in 2020, our Board formulated a Strategic Plan to articulate IMPACTability's long-term vision and set the framework to achieve our mission. Broadly speaking, our 2021 Strategic Plan paints a narrative around our theory of change, our programming, and most importantly, our measures of success. As we look ahead, we remain confident in our ability to serve our students, fight for equal access to employment opportunities for college students with disabilities, and expand our reach to even more students.
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Mock Interview Workshop Review
By Tommy Reynolds
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IMPACTability developed a workshop focused on mock interviews that provided key practice exercises to improve interviewing skills. Click below to learn more about this successful workshop and get interviewing tips.
Look for summaries of our future workshops including Networking, LinkedIn, and Internships in the upcoming newsletters. |
IMPACTability Announces Scholarship Program
Our inclusive online career readiness and structured mentoring program empowers college students with disabilities to confidently communicate skills, refine their resumes, project a professional image, gain interview experience, and attain jobs and internships. The program combines online learning, mentoring opportunities, and scholarship support to ensure a comprehensive student experience. The $250 Scholarship is awarded to the top ten applicants, per participating campus, who are enrolled in the City University of New York (CUNY) Office of Accessibility Services and/or CUNY LEADS (Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services) and meet Scholarship’s requirements.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month
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October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). This year is the nation’s 75th observance of NDEAM, which is administered by the Department’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP). The observance culminates the Department’s commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Out of the 16.6 million undergraduate college students in the United States, 3.3 percent have a disability.
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Fall Workshops Launch
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Three virtual workshops were held in October at Guttman Community College. Each workshop focused on a specific skill that is vital in obtaining an internship or full-time employment: transferable life skills, personal branding, and the facets of a great resume.
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President’s Message – Values and Volunteers
By Pam Judd
We are committed to mentoring college students with disabilities in career readiness. It begins with our values.
- We Champion Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- We Empower College Students with Disabilities to Become Self-Advocates
- We Foster Professional Growth Opportunities
Panel Presentation at the 11th Annual CUNY Accessibility Conference
Our nonprofit team was honoured to present groundbreaking pilot results, Insights from Mentoring College Students with Disabilities at the 11th Annual City University of New York (CUNY) Accessibility virtual Conference on May 28, 2020.
Disability 4 Impact – Mentoring College Students with Disabilities
In December 2019, Pam Judd presented professional language and inclusive behavior in everyday interactions with People With Disabilities (PWD). This “Disability 4 Impact” training was aimed at volunteers preparing for one-on-one mentorships as part of our program at CUNY John Jay and Guttman colleges. While designed for mentors, this training has valuable takeaways for everyone.
Mentoring 4 Impact -The Mentee Perspective
We provide mentoring and professional job search preparation for college students with disabilities. In addition to one-on-one mentoring, regular workshops give students further exposure to their field of interest. Tangemur Ahmed is one student who has benefited from our program.
Dressing 4 Impact Workshop
Invaluable workshops on presenting a professional image at job interviews were conducted by Sharon Kornstein of Image Design Consulting and Jacqueline Peros of JMP Branding for CUNY John Jay and Guttman students.
GIVING TUESDAY
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Student with disabilities, many of them first generation and Veterans, are enrolling in college at rates higher than ever before. Over 11,000 students with disabilities are currently enrolled at City University of New York (CUNY) campuses. Our career readiness and mentoring program helps college students with disabilities to define their career path and stay focused on the road to employment. We are proud to be a non-profit partner of the LEADS program (Linking Employment, Academics, and Disability Services) at CUNY. Our goal is to raise at least $1,500 on #GivingTuesday to support our program.
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An Inspiring Journey
Marisol Rosero was born into poverty in Panama and after immigrating to Miami in 1983 she joined the US army, where she spent 29 years and earned Bachelor and Master degrees.
CUNY ACCESSIBILITY CONFERENCE: DISABILITY IN THE WORKPLACE
Board member Charnette Lewis was invited to speak on a panel at the 10th Annual CUNY Accessibility Conference. The annual conference brings together more than 300 professionals, creating a pathway to sharing information and cutting edge ideas throughout CUNY. Attendees interact directly with assistive technology vendors, attend plenary keynote sessions, and review original work by CUNY disability studies scholars. This year’s theme was “Working with a Disability in the Workplace.”
