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CUNY Unlimited/ Melissa Riggio Higher Education Program FIG 3 Spring 2024

May 7, 2024 / Leave a comment

Here enclosed the link to a wonderful presentation we had from Donatella Camedda at our hybrid FIG meeting 3 on May 2nd in the KCTL conference room.
Donatella is Assistant Professor of Education, and ASIAP Course Coordinator in the Trinity College Dublin Center for People with Intellectual Disabilities. It was fascinating to hear her share about how they have been including students with intellectual disabilities for nearly 20 years, with great success in terms of academic learning, program completion, and growing social inclusion as well. She discussed both the successes and challenges in a way that was very relatable to what we have been working towards at KCC.
It sparked a great discussion among our 23 attendees, and we are very grateful to Donatella for visiting us on her trip across the pond (and we dream of returning the favor one day).
After the presentation we had a photocall on the KCTL balcony overlooking the Rockaways followed by continuing our discussion of inclusive higher education over lunch outside the KCC cafeteria.   You can watch the full session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIl3Fdun5dY
Left to right: Prof. Jeremy Sawyer, Prof. Sue Carpenter, Dr. Donatella Camedda, Elizabeth Aida MRHEP Transition coordinator, Peter Santiago  Associate Director of Accessibility Services, Michael Lettman MRHEP alumna, Prof. Julia Morris, Laura Armour Administrator specialist Accessibility office.

FIG 2 Spring 2024

April 18, 2024 / Leave a comment

Our second FIG of Spring 2024 was attended by 14 people on April 11th on line at 3.00pm. The inclusive FIG participants included 2 staff from the Accessibility office at KCC, 6 faculty, 2 alumni, one undergrad and one Melissa Riggio alum, plus 2 current students, and 2 Melissa Riggio staff.  A truly inclusive group of disability advocates!

We began the meeting with updates from Margot Cole alum of KCC, now an undergraduate at Penn State University re. her advocacy work there, a review of the Autism Walk as part of KCC’s Disability Awareness Week, updates regarding 2 MRHEP students field placements in EDC4000 and a reminder of the CUNY Neurodiversity Conference!

The main section of the meeting was a discussion about Dr Stephen Shore’s (autistic professor at Adelphi University) keynote address at KCC. Please see enclosed recording/ the zoom link. The meeting finished in an upbeat way with Michael Lettman’s updated Youtube channel coverage of his read aloud with KCDC and the Autism walk! Sing Along & Symposium! – Living with Autism by Michael Lettman (youtube.com)

Our next meeting is May 2nd at 12.00 with Donatella Camedda from Trinity College Dublin’s inclusive center/ program for students with intellectual disabilities, followed by lunch with our guest. All welcome! This meeting will be hybrid.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoLt23JYNvs

First FIG meeting of Spring ’24 – Live from Cafe Joyeux!

March 14, 2024 / Leave a comment

FIG 1 Spring Semester 2024 (March 12th)

Our first FIG of the Spring semester was a delightful hybrid meeting with 3 faculty and 2 student alumnae  in person at the Café Joyeux at 599 Lexington Avenue on Manhattan: Inclusive restaurant and coffee shop – New York City – Café Joyeux US (cafejoyeux.com) The manager of the café Sarah Parkes together with Safia Alrawi alum of the Melissa Riggio Program from KCC gave an overview of the café’s history and philosophy and what the experience of being employed in the café was like.

Feedback from faculty included: ‘This was the best FIG so far’! We welcomed two new faculty which made a total of 16 attendees. News of a Disability Awareness week at Penn State University initiated by Margot Cole KCC alum. Together with international news of the Winchester University, the first UK university to set up an inclusion program made for an uplifting meeting! Please see the recording of the meeting below: