April 08, 2008

Student group plans disability awareness seminar

by Eric Welch

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The Southern Illinois University Carbondale student chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association will host a conference on "Disability Awareness and Community Integration" on April 15, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Student Center river rooms.

Registration will begin at 8 a.m. and is $10 for students, $30 for National Rehabilitation Association members and $40 for non-members. The event is open to the public and anyone interested in learning about rehabilitation, health and disabilities is welcome to attend.

Throughout the day, several sessions and presentations will examine relevant rehabilitation and disability issues. Burton Pusch, a lecturer in the Rehabilitation Institute, will deliver the keynote address, "Community Integration: Future Foundations." Carl Flowers, former president of the National Rehabilitation Association and associate professor at SIUC, will discuss the challenges facing returning injured veterans.

Research and posters will be on display throughout the day. Students with relevant work in social and health science fields are encouraged to present their scholarship and creative work at the conference. To submit research, send contact information, credentials, a poster title and an abstract to pdunlap@siu.edu by April 10.

The conference will provide a chance to earn both certified rehabilitation counselor and continuing education credits. Those attending will also receive free snacks, door prizes, T-shirts and a chance to win raffle prizes.

The Rehabilitation Institute at SIUC is a recognized leader in the field of rehabilitation. Last year, U.S. News and World Report ranked its graduate rehabilitation counseling program sixth in the nation.

The SIUC student chapter of the National Rehabilitation Association provides networking and professional opportunities for students in the discipline. It also organizes several community service activities to help serve individuals with disabilities in the Carbondale area.

To register for the conference or for more information, contact the Rehabilitation Institute at 618/453-8223.