Closing the Gap Between College and Career for Students with Disabilities
“This program was a game changer for me.” – Nadia
Access U meets young adults where they are. College students have demanding schedules, often balancing classes, work, and extracurricular activities. Access U is designed to fit into a college student’s busy schedule with a combination of online curriculum, workshops, and program office hours. This approach lets each student understand the material at their own pace and work with our career advisor when they are ready to put their new skills into practice to achieve their goals.
Professional Workshops
We partner with schools to offer the disability-specific workshops their students need to succeed on campus and in the workplace. Contact Access U to host a virtual workshop for your school!
Topics include career development skills:
- Creating a competitive resume and cover letter
- Preparing for interviews
- Discussing your disability with potential employers
- Building professional networks
- Identifying workplace accommodations that will help you excel
Internship Intensive
The Internship Intensive is a 4 day career development training for college/trade/tech students with disabilities. Through this program, students learn the skills they need to land the internship of their dreams. The Intensive promotes disability pride and self-advocacy. Students develop a personal brand on LinkedIn and learn tips and tricks from professionals at top corporations.
“The Internship Intensive is indeed an intense experience, with a great deal of curriculum, but I’m also intensely grateful for it! All those unwritten rules of the job world, from resumes to interviewing to networking, and even how to disclose [my disability], are covered.
I feel so much more prepared to move forward in my searches for internships and employment after this week!” – Olivia
Peer Hangout
Having a disability on a college campus can feel lonely. Starkloff supports the development of peer communities on college campuses across the region. We host monthly peer connection groups where students can share resources and build relationships. We also support students in creating disabled student organizations at their schools to advocate for their needs.
Life Skills Workshops
We host workshops for students on topics relevant to living as an adult with a disability, including relationships, sexuality, independent living, and more. We respond to the needs of the students, offering topics based on student feedback. Our goal is to prepare each student to flourish at work and in life.
Workshops for Faculty and Staff
We provide workshops for college faculty and staff to equip them to advise students about career planning and disability disclosure. Most college faculty and staff want to do the right thing for their disabled students – they just lack a basic education about disability history, rights, and inclusion.
Are you an Access U student?
Any student with a disability that is actively enrolled in a 2- or 4-year university or trade/technical school is eligible to participate in Access U. Students are expected to engage with Access U regularly and commit to enhancing their career development skills.
Access U is free for students thanks to our generous funding partners!
Interested in Access U or have other questions? Fill out the form below:
