{"id":9666,"date":"2026-10-26T05:57:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-26T10:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9666"},"modified":"2026-10-26T05:57:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-26T10:57:18","slug":"you-can-do-this-preparing-for-college-with-leighann-fuller","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=9666","title":{"rendered":"You Can Do This: Preparing for College with Leighann Fuller"},"content":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9582\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9666-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Podcast Summary:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Your next chapter starts before you set foot on campus. Join Jeff Thompson and Leighann Fuller, visually impaired service coordinator at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, for a practical conversation about making the leap from high school to college. Leighann shares her own experience navigating vision loss during her master\u2019s program and explains why students must take the lead in requesting college accommodations. From accessible textbooks and screen reader skills to finding classrooms, doing laundry, and making dinner, this episode explores what independence really looks like. Discover how disability services, vocational rehabilitation, summer programs, and connections with other blind students can help you prepare. Parents will hear ways to support growing independence while encouraging students to speak up, solve problems, and ask for help before frustration becomes a crisis. Whether college feels exciting, intimidating, or both, Leighann\u2019s message is clear: you can do this, and support is there for the journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Links of interest:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.siue.edu\/access\/\">ACCESS SUIE<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?page_id=9663\">Full Transcript<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<!--powerpress_player--><div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_9584\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-9666-3\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3?_=3\" \/><a href=\"https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3\">https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p>https:\/\/traffic.libsyn.com\/blindabilities\/LeighannFullerACCESS.mp3 Podcast Summary: Your next chapter starts before you set foot on campus. Join Jeff Thompson and Leighann Fuller, visually impaired service coordinator at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, for a practical conversation about making the leap from high school to college. Leighann shares her own experience navigating vision loss during her master\u2019s program and explains [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9311,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"audio","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[17,263],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9666","post","type-post","status-publish","format-audio","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bapresents","category-college","post_format-post-format-audio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6rcRg-2vU","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5872,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=5872","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":0},"title":"Student Takes Action Against College Board\u2019s Decisions that Leave Blind and Deaf Students Without Adequate Accommodations for the Advanced Placement Exams. Meet Kaleigh Brendle.","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"May 14, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Full Transcription Show Summary: Kaleigh Brendle joins Jeff Thompson in the Blind Abilities Studio to talk about the decisions College Board has made in regards to accommodations not being provided even though the accommodations had been in place. Kaleigh has stepped up and is making her voice heard so that\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;College&quot;","block_context":{"text":"College","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=263"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6592,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=6592","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":1},"title":"Transitioning from High School to College: A Panel of College Students Take on the Questions from High School Students from a Blindness and Low Vision Perspective","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"March 22, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"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\u2019s needs. A group of high school students ask a panel of college students questions to help them understand\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8410,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=8410","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":2},"title":"Crush Your College Goals: Jennifer Martinez-Badillo\u2019s Story of Determination and Support from State Services for the Blind","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"September 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Jennifer Martinez-Badillo shares her journey of securing a position at College Possible through AmeriCorps, where she helps high school students with their college application process. As a visually impaired advocate, she discusses the accommodations she received and the support from State Services for the Blind. Jennifer reflects on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Career&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Career","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=373"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":48,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=48","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":3},"title":"College Diaries: Megan&#8217;s College Advice&#8230; Better Get Crackin&#8217;","author":"Jeffrey Thompson","date":"May 1, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Lori and Pete interview Megan Bening, a college student attending Minnesota State studying IT. Megan is Blind\/Visually impaired and talks about what works for her as she breaks down the barricades that try to block her from the goals she has set for herself. From the tools she utilizes on\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7706,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=7706","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":4},"title":"College101: SSB\u00a0\u00a0is hosting a College 101\u00a0webinar for prospective blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind college students &#8211; November 28th\u00a0at 6 PM CST.","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"November 14, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Podcast Summary: Full Transcript Below Blind Abilities welcomes\u00a0Shane DeSantis, Transition Coordinator at State Services for the Blind of Minnesota, to the studio to talk about an upcoming College 101 webinar. Are you interested in attending college to gain education and\u00a0 training needed to meet your employment goals? Do you have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2286,"url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?p=2286","url_meta":{"origin":9666,"position":5},"title":"Transitioning from High School to College and the Workplace: Meet Sheila Koenig Transition Coordinator","author":"Blind Abilities Team","date":"December 8, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Blind Abilities visits the State Services for the Blind (SSB) in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jeff Thompson talks to the Transition Coordinator, Sheila Koenig about the Transition program for students age 14-21 transitioning from High School to College and the Workplace. Sheila talks about developing programs and creating opportunities through networking\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;BlindAbilities Presents&quot;","block_context":{"text":"BlindAbilities Presents","link":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/?cat=17"},"img":{"alt_text":"BlindAbilities Logo A black square with white initials, B A.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/02\/Blind-Abilities-Logo.jpg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/IMG_0035.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9666","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=9666"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9666\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":9668,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9666\/revisions\/9668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/9311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=9666"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=9666"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blindabilities.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=9666"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}