The following is a list of the activities at the Meeting with a brief highlights:

DAY 1 - May 13

Our opening Keynote Speaker was Greg Smith, Host and Founder of On A Roll Radio, a weekly syndicated radio talk show on life and disability, based in Ocean Springs, MS. Tari Susan Hartman of EIN SOF Communications introduced him. Greg presented a compelling multi-media address illustrating the connection of disability and employment as well as the conflicts that arise at that intersection. The illustrations were pictures of his life and the many fascinating aspects of his past as an indicator of his current and future success. Greg set the tone for the Meeting by bringing our differences to the Meeting and seeing what commonalities we have and how those commonalities can lead to consensus and progress for college graduates with disabilities seeking a career. Greg's appearance was courtesy of funding from NASA.

Following Greg, there was a Reception hosted by Microsoft. All attendees were invited to mix and mingle among the Microsoft Recruiting Staff. In addition to the Reception was the first of three opportunities to tour the Microsoft Home (of the Future) or to shop in the Microsoft Company Store taking advantage of HUGE discounts on software.

DAY 2 - May 14

Microsoft / AAPD Partnership - We convened the second day of the Meeting with a presentation from Sarah Meyer, Microsoft Senior Program Manager for Community Affairs. She spoke of the partnership with the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) for the Microsoft - AAPD Federal Internship Program. The program, in its first year, has chosen 10 students with disabilities for paid internships of 11 weeks at Federal agencies to specialize in Information Technology areas. It is an exciting program that illustrates the partnership between private industry and the Federal Government.

Keynote Speaker - Dr. Frederick Humphries - Immediately following Sarah, we welcomed Dr. Dorothy Hayden-Watkins NASA Assistant Administrator Equal Opportunity Programs, who introduced our next Keynote Speaker, Dr. Frederick Humphries, President and CEO of NAFEO (National Association For Equal Opportunity in Higher Education). He discussed the progression of equal opportunity for African American students on college campuses. He also stressed that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) should be doing more to welcome students with disabilities. In that regard, Dr. Humphries invited COSD to present at the upcoming Presidential Peer Seminar of NAFEO in July. This meeting will consist of all Presidents of HBCUs and COSD will have a 75-minute time slot to discuss the issue of disability, education and employment. COSD gladly accepted the invitation. NASA also funded Dr. Humphries' appearance.

Presentations - Following Dr. Humphries, we had two presentations. First was Vickie Ball, who is an ADD Career Coach, and she discussed the latest research into Attention Deficit Disorder and methods of counseling students with this type of disability. Second was Bob Greenberg of the University of Tennessee and Kevin Foster of Motorola presenting the rationale and methodology of the COSD Placement Data Collection and Reporting Project. The goal of the project is to track students with disabilities as they leave the college or university and head to a career. This type of information would provide a barometer of the progress of COSD and how well students with disabilities are doing in the workforce. Bob solicited volunteers among the attending institutions to participate in a small pilot of 6 to 8 schools to roll out the project.

Keynote Speakers - Sarah Triano and Denna Lambert - Sarah and Denna were both introduced by Yvette Rivera of JP Morgan Chase & Co. Denna, a senior at the University of Arkansas led off with her experiences as a blind student and how she has succeeded and her ability to present a powerful message. Sarah, co-founder of the National Disabled Students Union and currently with Access Living of Metro Chicago, discussed the importance of preparation for students with disabilities. She pointed to the Youth Leadership Forum (YLF) as being the biggest influence in her life of understanding and advocating for herself and for others with disabilities. She related her own hard-fought progression in education as a woman with a non-apparent disability. She stressed that the largest barrier to students with disabilities being considered for career employment is their own sense of inferiority, internalized shame and diminished self-confidence. She made a very powerful and provocative presentation. JP Morgan Chase provided the funding for Sarah's appearance. The University of Arkansas funded Denna's travel. Thank you from COSD to both.

Internship Panel - Sara Lopez, Program Manager of DO-IT at the University of Washington facilitated the Internship Panel, consisting of Susan Harbeson, student at Edmonds Community College, Jessie Shulman, student at the University of Washington, Loren Mikola, employed by Microsoft and Kristen Jones of the National Youth Leadership Network from Houston, TX. The Panel discussed their experiences with various internships and needs for accommodation followed by an active Q & A session with attendees.

Following the Internship Panel, Microsoft offered the second of three opportunities to tour the Microsoft Home (of the Future) and to the Microsoft Company Store.

Entertainment - Light Motion - At the Westin, following our dinner, we were entertained by Light Motion, a dance duo. Charlene Curtiss and JoAnne Petroff combine to use Charlene's wheelchair as part of the choreography and each dance movement. They performed several dance segments that were quite physically taxing and then answered the many questions from those in attendance. Motorola sponsored the appearance of Light Motion. Procter & Gamble and Merck generously sponsored the dinner. Additionally, Motorola provided two cellular phones for raffling to our attendees. Sarah Dunham of UC Berkeley won the first one during the day and Paula Scheffman of NASA Johnson Space Center won the second one at the dinner.

Day 3 - May 15

Speakers' Panel - After convening the Meeting for the third day and a warm up exercise with Julie Sedlemeyer of San Jose State University, we began with the Speakers' Panel. Paul Meyer of the Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy moderated this panel discussion composed of Greg Smith, Sarah Triano and Steve Hanamura. The discussion and the Q & A were lively as they ranged to a wide variety of topics.

Think Tank - We participated in the Think Tank discussion, which was entitled - Pay It Forward: Removing Barriers to Career Employment." This discussion was designed to highlight the barriers and accommodations needs from the perspectives of employers, universities and students. We broke up into two groups; employers / agencies and universities. Colleen Fukui-Sketchley of Nordstrom facilitated the Employers group while Julie Sedlemeyer facilitated the University group. After lunch, Colleen and Julie presented the findings of each group and synthesized them into an organized discussion with the entire group. A written version of this presentation will be posted on the COSD Website.