Thursday, December 30, 2010

The Disability Project: Putting People with Disabilities to Work

Recently, The Indianapolis Star and the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette published a letter to the editor from Dr. Ray Scheele and Dr. Sally Jo Vasicko, the co-directors of Ball State University's Bowen Center for Public Affairs. In their letter, they discuss one of the Bowen Center's newest initiatives: The Disability Project. I'm serving as a Distinguished Fellow in support of The Disability Project, and I am most proud to be involved with such a challenging and worthwhile endeavor.

You can read the letter here, as it shares just what Ball State and the Bowen Center are doing to address employment barriers for people with disabilities. As an alumnus, supporter and former trustee of Ball State, I am so proud of my alma mater for its unwavering commitment to educate, engage, and aid in the employment search for people with disabilities.

On behalf of my colleagues at the Bowen Center, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to The Lilly Foundation, as well as the Marion County Election Board, for providing initial seed funding in order to move forward with substantive projects. It's an honor to work with dedicated professionals, who, in a nonpartisan way, are looking at how we can increase employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

As we close the door on 2010 and embark on 2011, Mary Beth and I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

Greg Fehribach