Dr. Hurford introduces the long-term vision behind her team's 28-month tracking study and explains why true preparation for the real world requires a delicate balance of robust assistive technology, fierce self-advocacy, and a willingness to let youth try and fail independently. From understanding "disability joy" to learning when not to help too much, this episode provides a vital toolkit for parents, vocational rehabilitation counselors, and educators alike.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• Confronting Workplace Stereotypes: Addressing the persistent myths employers hold regarding the cost of accommodations, productivity levels, and the integration of service dogs.
• The Value of a 28-Month Study: Why following high school seniors for over two years provides a full spectrum of empirical data on post-secondary and career outcomes that shorter studies miss.
• Cultivating "Disability Joy": The fundamental right of individuals with disabilities to experience fulfillment, hobbies, and authentic connection without societal barriers.
• The Assistive Tech Lifeline: Why early, aggressive training in both specialized tech (screen readers, braille refreshers) and mainstream tech (smartphones, AI) is the single biggest predictor of future employment success.
• Combatting Underemployment: A look at how systemic barriers force highly qualified individuals with visual impairments into part-time or lower-tier roles, and how strong coordination teams can break the cycle.

Learn More & Connect:

• Featured Guest: Dr. Rachel McDonald Hurford, Research Lead at VCU-RRTC
• Host: Carolyn Cage, Director of Training for the VCU-RRTC
• Partner Spotlight: Special thanks to the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) for their invaluable expertise and partnership in this study.
• Access the Research: To connect with the project team, explore the data, or access the companion accessibility webinar, visit transition.vcurrtc.org.

Enjoyed this series? Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a teacher, parent, or counselor in your network. Let's build an inclusive future together!

In this episode, host Carolyn Cage sits down with Dr. Rachel McDonald Hurford, Research Lead at VCU-RRTC on Transition. Rachel shares her inspiring journey from a fourth-grade safety patrol to a special education teacher, and eventually to a transition researcher. Drawing from her own lived experience as a member of the disability community, Rachel highlights why early work-based learning experiences (WBLEs) are crucial to long-term career success and dismantling societal stigma.

Tune in to discover how VCU’s collaborative, 9-month peer mentoring program pairs rising high school seniors with vision-impaired mentors, uses innovative participatory research tools like MediaVoice, and reshapes how employers think about hiring.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• The Power of Strengths-Based Work: How a single work-based learning experience can completely alter a student's trajectory, moving them from the brink of dropping out to a full-time career.
• The 45% Statistic: Unpacking the root causes of the high unemployment rates among the vision-impaired community, including a lack of workplace readiness, transportation, and mentorship.
• Introducing MediaVoice: A look at how this modification of PhotoVoice allows blind and low-vision youth to become co-researchers, using audio and photography to document and tell their own stories.
• Universal Design & Hidden Barriers: Why intentional accessibility in everyday communication—from email formatting to video conferences—is vital for building an inclusive environment.

Learn More & Connect:

• Featured Guest: Dr. Rachel McDonald Hurford, Research Lead at VCU-RRTC
• Host: Carolyn Cage, Director of Training for the VCU-RRTC
• Explore the Research: To find the resources, links, and the full accessibility webinar mentioned in this episode, visit transition.vcurrtc.org.

Traditional college environments and career services weren't originally built with disability in mind. Jaclyn discusses how her team is tackling this systemic barrier by training the university professionals who run campus career services and accessibility offices. Discover how this three-cohort national study is piloting an innovative, 6-week online course paired with a year-long "Community of Practice" to boost staff self-efficacy and drastically improve career outcomes for students across all disability categories.

Whether you are a student looking to advocate for your future, a higher education professional trying to do "more with less," or an advocate for inclusive education, this episode offers a vital blueprint for shifting campus culture from basic access to long-term success.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• Shifting the System, Not the Student: Why targeting the professional environment is the most effective way to eliminate barriers to internships and employment.
• The Power of "Community of Practice": How bringing college professionals together across the nation fosters mutual learning, problem-solving, and sustainable professional networks.
• Overcoming the "Time" Barrier: A candid look at the biggest challenge facing campus staff today, and how the study addresses funding and staffing constraints.
• Measuring What Matters: How the study evaluates success by tracking both tangible student job placement and the confidence (self-efficacy) of university professionals.
• Actionable Advice for Students: Why leaning into campus career services early, raising your voice, and practicing self-advocacy is key.

Learn More & Connect:

• Featured Guest: Jaclyn Camden, Project Director & Study Lead at VCU-RRTC
• Host: Carolyn Cage, Director of Training for the VCU-RRTC
• Explore the Data: Learn more about the cohorts, read the research, and access free training tools at transition.vcurrtc.org.

Don't Miss Future Updates! Hit that subscribe button today. Carolyn and Jaclyn will team up again next year to share exclusive data and progress updates as the first pilot cohort concludes!

Jaclyn shares her deeply personal journey into the field—from a high school counselor telling her she wasn't "college material" to witnessing her first cohort of students with intellectual disabilities walk across the VCU graduation stage.

The conversation dives deep into the necessity of innovation in higher education, highlighting a remarkable COVID-era success story of a virtual internship that turned into permanent employment. Jaclyn also introduces her groundbreaking new research study, which focuses on equipping diverse college professionals—from career services to accessibility offices—with the precise tools they need to connect students with all types of disabilities to meaningful internships and careers.

Key Takeaways From This Episode:

• The Power of High Expectations: How shifting the narrative around students with disabilities opens doors to higher education and meaningful employment.
• The Tech Shift in the Workforce: A look at data from the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report, and why college professionals must prepare students for a rapidly changing, tech-driven labor market.
• Innovation Through Virtual Support: How remote internships and digital tools (like Zoom) can successfully broaden geographical and professional access for students.
• Expanding the Research: Moving from specialized programs (like VCU's ACE-IT in College) to a broader professional development model that supports students across all disability categories on campus.

Learn More & Connect:

• Featured Guest: Jaclyn Camden, Study Lead & Project Director at VCU-RRTC
• Host: Carolyn Cage, Director of Training for the VCU-RRTC
• Explore the Research: To take a closer look at the data, strategies, and studies mentioned in this episode, visit transition.vcurrtc.org.

What's Next? Tune in to our next session, where Jaclyn goes "behind the scenes" and dives even deeper into the rollout and metrics of her current research study!