Disabled
students, faculty recognized
By
Emmy Gonzalez
On-line Forty-Niner
Cal
State Long Beach kicked off its first campus
National Disabilities Employment Awareness
Month event to help promote awareness and
recognize students, faculty and staff with
disabilities.
This
is the first year the CSULB campus is celebrating
National Disabilities Employment Awareness
Month, started by Coordinator for High Tech
Center and Disabled Student Services, Hannah
Youn.
"This
is the first time the university has an
organized event recognizing the contributions
disabled students, faculty and staff bring
to society and the university," Youn
said.
The
event was filled with information booths,
a video recognizing past CSULB Students
with disabilities and guest speakers, including
CSULB Vice President Doug Robinson.
The theme of Wednesday's event, "A
Celebration of Achievement," was an
appropriate theme for the day's event that
included a video recognizing five CSULB
alumni who have overcome physical challenges
to meet their dreams. The video included
former San Diego Chargers wide receiver
Mark Seay, who despite having only one kidney
made it to the NFL.
The
biggest hit of the event was the information
booths that provided students with physical
and learning disabilities with the most
technologically advanced software and hardware
for them to use.
"I
liked the computer for the visually impaired,"
adult community transition student, Ofelia
Delgadillo.
Guests of the event were able to try out
desks that adjust to their specific needs,
a computer that reads back the text from
a book, a low vision video magnifier for
the visually impaired and other gadgets
to make life easier for the disabled.
Long
Beach city librarian, Josephine Caron, was
one of the guest speakers the event. Caron
announced the $50,000 grant the Long Beach
Public Library received for an information
center for disabled people. The new center
will have computers with the hardware and
software needed to meet the needs of physically
disabled people. The Long Beach City Public
Library plans to open up the new information
center on Oct. 21 in observance of National
Disabilities Employment Awareness Month.
Students,
staff and guests said they were pleased
with the recognition the event for persons
with disabilities received.
"It's
a real valuable presentation for the community
at large to be aware of persons with disabilities
who are a viable part of society, "
Adult Community Transition Faculty member,
John Saldano said.
Coordinator
of High Tech Services, Penny Peterson, was
overall pleased with the turnout of the
event.
"The
turnout was smaller than we would have liked,
but this was our first year and I feel good
about it," Peterson said. She and her
staff hope more people turn out for the
upcoming events planned throughout the month
of October.
"My
favorite part was where we as a campus and
as a division have come together to celebrate
and bring awareness to campus," Peterson
said. "It was a real team effort within
the division."
"A
celebration of Achievement" was the
kick-off event to help promote CSULB's efforts
in supporting possible events throughout
the National Disability Employment Awareness
Month. For more information of upcoming
events contact the High Tech Center and
Disabled Student Services.
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