Adrian College sets Disability Awareness Week Convocation for March 22

The Daily Telegram
·2 min read

ADRIAN — Best Buddies International, a nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-on-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) will be one of the main focuses Wednesday during Adrian College’s Disability Awareness Week Convocation.

The title of AC’s event is “Best Buddies and Stories of Inclusion.” It is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, in Jones Hall room No. 110. The event is free and open to the public.

Jones Hall is on the northwest end of AC's campus and is conjoined with Peelle Hall at the intersection of South Charles and Williams streets.

The IDD community Best Buddies serves people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury and other undiagnosed disabilities, Adrian College said in a news release.

Best Buddies International states the organization is dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people with IDD and notes its programs empower the special abilities of people with IDD by helping them form meaningful friendships with peers; secure successful jobs; live independently; improve public speaking, self-advocacy and communication skills; and feel valued by society.

A panel of guest speakers will also be present Wednesday.

John Rose, a consultant for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, will lead a panel of four guest speakers Wednesday during Adrian College's Disability Awareness Week Convocation, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
John Rose, a consultant for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, will lead a panel of four guest speakers Wednesday during Adrian College's Disability Awareness Week Convocation, which is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

John Rose, a consultant for the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, will lead the panel of speakers, which includes Lydia Goff, an adviser for Best Buddies at the University of Michigan; James Kleimola, officer for the University of Michigan Best Buddies Chapter; and Anne Moler, ambassador of Best Buddies. The group will hold a panel discussion to talk about what inclusion looks like after high school. Personal journeys and involvement with post-school inclusion will be drawn upon by the speakers, the release said.

Rose is also a part-time lecturer at Eastern Michigan University, a host site coordinator for the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University chapters of Best Buddies, and is a faculty adviser for the Easter Michigan University Special Olympics Unified Sports program.

For more information about Adrian College’s Convocation, contact Adrian College Accessibility Services Specialist Allison Hoag at allisonhoag@adrian.edu.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Adrian College hosts Disability Awareness Week Convocation March 22