Podcasts and Blog posts sharing tools for success, ideas and successes from others who have transitioned from high school to college and to the workplace.
Podcast summary: What does a career path really look like? At the Career Exploration Adventure Weekend at Cragun’s Resort in Brainerd, Minnesota, blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind students got the chance to ask working professionals the questions that matter when you’re thinking about your future. In this lively careers panel, professionals from technology, accounting, human resources, education, hospitality, and library services...
What happens when career exploration meets lakeside adventure? At State Services for the Blind’s first Career Exploration Adventure Weekend at Cragun’s Resort, blind, low-vision, and DeafBlind students from across Minnesota discovered possibilities, practiced independence, and built friendships. Randi Lasher shares how the three-day event combined customized job shadowing, a career panel, orientation and mobility activities, buffet...
Podcast Summary What happens when students, families, and volunteers come together with one goal—helping Minnesota kids? Join State Services for the Blind Pre-ETS students , Staff and family members, at Every Meal in Roseville, Minnesota, for an energetic afternoon of teamwork, conversation, and community service. Working side by side in fast-moving assembly lines, 42 volunteers packed more than 15,000 meals in less than an hour and a half....
Podcast Summary: If you’re heading to college and wondering how to turn an interest into a career, Dawson Haag’s story is one you won’t want to miss. A sports management student at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse, Dawson shares how internships with the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers and the Minot Hot Tots gave him hands-on experience behind the scenes of baseball, from stadium operations to creating unforgettable fan experiences. He...
Podcast Summary: This episode offers an inside look at the rewarding role of a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at State Services for the Blind of Minnesota through the journey of Lindsay Escalera. From an undecided college student to a passionate rehabilitation professional, Lindsay shares how hands-on experiences, mentorship, and a desire to help others shaped her career. She explains how counselors guide students and adults through career...
Podcast Summary: Across the country, students who are blind, deafBlind, or low vision are asking big questions about their future—and in Minnesota, those questions are turning into real opportunities. In this episode of Blind Abilities, we explore how Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) through State Services for the Blind are helping students move from uncertainty to action. Through hands-on experiences like summer programs, outdoor...
Podcast Summary: What does it take to step beyond comfort and truly build independence? In this episode of Blind Abilities, Louie McGee shares his journey from Minnesota to law school in Chicago, proving that curiosity—not perfection—is the real key to success. Born with Stargardt’s, Louie doesn’t just adapt—he explores. From completing a triathlon and rafting the Grand Canyon to studying abroad in London, he shows how asking...
Podcast Summary: Josh Subhan shares a real-world look at how internships can open doors from college to career. As a University of Minnesota grad who is turning his internship at Metro Transit into a full-time job, Josh breaks down what internships are, when to start applying, and how the process actually works. He walks through finding opportunities on company career pages and sites like Indeed, preparing resumes and interviews, and using...
Podcast Summary: Episode Three of Blind Abilities – The Musical explores what it really means to find your voice as you move from K–12 into college and on toward a career. The three acts set the theme, but the heart of the episode lives in the conversation—real stories about IEPs, learning to speak up in meetings, navigating disability services, and building access when the rules change. Cheryl, Seyoon, Lori, and Jeff share practical...
Podcast Summary: If you’re a blind or low-vision high school student heading to college, this College Readiness Workshop from State Services for the Blind of Minnesota breaks time management into a simple system you can actually use. Tou Yang and the SSB transition team talk with students about setting clear goals, knowing your “why” (motivation), building a realistic schedule, and staying disciplined—especially when you hit that...