Full Transcript Show Summary: From Beyond Vision, Jennifer Wenzel, Stephen Gould, Diana Voigt, Michael Newman and Javier Johnson join Jeff Thomson in the Blind Abilities Studio to share how Beyond Vision is creating opportunities through employment for people who are Blind or Visually Impaired. This is not your Grandfather’s Sheltered Workshop is a statement that rings through clearly in this conversation. Michael and Javier work...
Full Transcript Show Summary: In the Blind Abilities Studio, Hannah Harriman sits down with Jeff Thompson to talk about her academic and employment journey. From her early days and her Individual Education Plan (IEP) In Grade School to her Individual Plan for Employment (IPE) as she attended the Summer Transition Program, MN State Academy for the Blind and went off to college to her two current jobs, Hannah is excited about her future....
Full Transcript Show Summary: Learning Ally’s College Success Program coordinator, Abigail Shaw, gives us a history of Learning Ally and dives deep into the College Success Program. Mentor, Rachel Grider, and Mentee, Gabi Mendonca, explain how the College Success Program works from their experience as a Mentor and a college student perspective. You can get all the details on the web at College Success Program You can...
Full Transcript Show Summary: our guest on Blind Abilities today is Sheila Koenig, Transition Services Coordinator for State Services for the Blind of Minnesota (SSB). Sheila talks about a variety of opportunities available to Transition Age students. Learn about the programs such as the Summer Transition Program (STP), Chill and Chat, Peer Educators, Blind and Socially Savvy and the Learning Ally College Success Program. There is...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Transitioning from High School to College is a major step towards self-determination and independence. Career choices are made and Colleges and Universities are explored to best fit one’s needs. A group of high school students ask a panel of college students questions to help them understand the challenges and gain from the experience the college students share. When leaving the high school and the security of...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Blind Abilities welcomes Tony Gebhard back into the studio. he first appeared on Blind Abilities in the summer of 2019, when Geoff and Pete chatted with him at the NFB National Convention in Orlando, Florida. You can find that interview here, A Morning with Tony Gebhard… The focus then was on his musical journey, This time back in the studio, the focus of this interview, is Toni‘s life, his recent...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Travis Mashuga is a Pre-Employment Transition Services Counselor at State Services for the Blind (SSB) in Minnesota. Travis switched gears in college and decided to work in the Rehabilitation field and is now part of the Transition team at SSB. Travis explains what Transition Services offers and tells us how to get connected with the Transition Services. Whether you are a transition age student or a parent of a...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Minnesota State Services for the Blind (SSB) like every other state rehab agency, is certainly not exempt from the impact of COVID-19. Like much of the Nation’s business and governmental sector, the staff began working from home back in mid-March. Jesse Anderson, Assistive Technology Specialist, Joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about how his department has adjusted to the...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Blind Abilities presents this special interview with Laura Wolke. Laura initially began a career as a social worker in Philadelphia, with clients who were primarily Medicare recipients, planning to get her PhD and go into counseling or become a psychologist. However she eventually grew weary of this work, saying that while she has great respect for the people who do...
Full Transcript Show Summary: Program Director Jon Marin joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities studio to talk about the Career Discovery Project and his upcoming book release of, “See Us”. With his new book due out soon Jon talks about students and employment and the opportunities created through the Career Discovery Project and the awareness that his new book, See Us, will bring to people around the world. Jon talks about job...