The University of Portland hosted the Oregon Association of Higher Education and Disability (ORAHEAD) Conference on April 14-15. The conference brought representatives of twenty higher education institutions (8 four-year universities and 12 community colleges) to The Bluff, along with staff from the Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation Division and Oregon Commission for the Blind. The keynote speaker was Ms. Wheelchair America 2016, Alette Coble-Temple (pictured), who presented on “Cultivating a Culture of Empowerment.”
In support of the ORAHEAD conference, the Clark Library hosted a Disability History exhibit April 14-18, and student activities partnered with the Shepard Center and accessible education services office to organize a University community event with Coble-Temple on April 14, titled “Empowerment Strategies for Successful Education Completion and Integration in the Employment Sector.”
For more information on the University’s efforts in support of higher education and accessibility, contact Melanie Gangle, accessible education services, at gangle@up.edu or 8236.