The College-to-Work Story of a Young Woman with a Disability – Vicky Queyquep

Voices of the ADA Generation: The College-to-Work Story of Victoria Queyquep In conjunction with the launch of our newest survey, the 2020 Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey: Recent College Graduates (https://kesslerfoundation.org/researchcenter-employment-and-disability-researchemployment-and-disability-survey-2020/2020-survey), Nicky Miller, Social Media Specialist at Kessler Foundation, chatted with Victoria Queyquep, Kessler’s donor engagement specialist on the Development team, and a member of the first generation to come of age after the Americans with Disabilities Act became law in 1990. We talked about her education, her aspirations, and her career path, and I asked her to reflect on her journey as a person with a disability seeking work after college. Our survey dispelled many long held myths about people with disabilities and higher education. Young people and their families were often told that college would be a waste of time, they would be unable to perform as well as their peers, and a college education would not increase their likelihood of gainful employment. All of these beliefs were upended by the survey, which showed that college graduates with and without disabilities are employed at the same rates – 90%. The survey also looked at how key experiences during college influenced the success of recent graduates in the workplace. Taking advantage of career advising services, doing an internship, and having paid work, were all positively associated with employment after college for graduates with and without disabilities. During our podcast, I learned how Vicky Queyquep’s college-to-work experience compared with the members of the ADA generation who participated in the survey. Read Vicky’s bio at https://kesslerfoundation.org/about-us/Victoria%20Queyquep and blog post “Voices of the ADA Generation: The College-to-Work Story of Victoria Queyquep” (https://kesslerfoundation.org/info/voices-ada-generation-college-work-story-victoria-queyquep) Tuned in to our podcast series lately? Join our listeners in 90 countries who enjoy learning about the work of Kessler Foundation. For more information about Kessler Foundation, go to KesslerFoundation.org Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Listen to us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, or wherever you get your podcasts. This podcast was recorded on Monday, June 22nd, 2020 remotely and was edited and produced by Joan Banks-Smith, Creative Producer for Kessler Foundation.