Highlights

Missed the chat? Check out our highlights below, and feel free to continue answering questions using the #thrivecollege hashtag!

@ability2thrive A2: Visit the schools and check out (in person) the college’s Office of Disability Support Services #thrivecollege

— The NYTC (@The_NYTC) August 26, 2015

@ability2thrive Q2: Applications are tedious, but once one is done you can tailor it to fit other application needs. #thrivecollege

— Andrea (@MSWCNY2015) August 26, 2015

@ability2thrive A7: There wasn't a strong disability community during my college exp. Benefited from meeting more students! #thrivecollege

— The NYTC (@The_NYTC) August 26, 2015

@ability2thrive A8: Notes app on my iPhone/iPad has saved me so many times communicating with others if no interpreter. #thrivecollege

— sara jane fair (@sarajanefair) August 26, 2015

Organization tip and app suggestion for #disabled #students! #thrivecollege https://t.co/RUun8uwIq1

— Easterseals Thrive (@ability2thrive) August 26, 2015

Completely valid! This would be a great situation to bring up to your disability services center! #thrivecollege https://t.co/BRKpruS7KJ

— Grant Heffelfinger (@grantmke) August 26, 2015

@ability2thrive A8: @NAD1880 is a great place to check out for Deaf resources/ADA for Deaf people etc. #thrivecollege

— sara jane fair (@sarajanefair) August 26, 2015

@ability2thrive A9: Check out employers that are known to hire individuals with disabilities http://t.co/yvC1kgY32d #thrivecollege

— The NYTC (@The_NYTC) August 26, 2015

The Topic, and How This Works

Calling all future and current college students with disabilities! On August 26th, 2015, at 2 p.m. EST, Thrive hosted a twitter chat, Q&A style, on disability and academia. Our guest panelists offered their advice on everything from applying to schools and setting up your support network, to living on campus and making new friends. If you follow the hashtag #ThriveCollege and our Twitter account @ability2thrive, you can chime in with your own questions or tips. You can also take a look at the questions below if you want to answer them yourself! It doesn't matter your level of experience, or if you are a student at all - everyone is welcome. We'll retweet the best comments!

The Panelists

Thrive is happy to feature these amazing panelists! Make sure to give them a follow on Twitter to stay up-to-date and see what they have to say.

Whitney Bailey (@wheelchairwhit: Whitney Bailey loves to help others maximize their potential. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Rehabilitation Services from Stephen F. Austin State University. She then went on to graduate from Texas A&M University Corpus Christi with a master's degree in Special Education. While at TAMUCC, she completed an internship at a local community college in the disability services office. Her main focus in academia is to help transitioning students in high school to the "real world." She is currently working as a independent living facilitator at a local center for independent living.

Jessica Queener (@The_NYTC and thenytc.org): Jessica Queener manages the communications and outreach for the Youth Transitions Collaborative and the National Youth Transitions Center. Dr. Queener is a recent graduate of the doctoral Education and Neuroscience Excellence program at The George Washington University. She concentrated her research in the area of transition related to postsecondary education for students with disabilities. Dr. Queener began her career as the self-determination coordinator at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, T.N. She has earned a M.A. in Transition Special Education from The George Washington University and a B.A. from The University of Tennessee.

Sara Fair (@sarajanefair): Sara is a recent graduate from Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, NY with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations, and currently resides in Seattle. She has been Deaf since birth, has two Deaf parents, and Deaf grandparents on her dad's side of the family.

Andrea Dalzell (@MsWCNY2015 and theseatednurse.com): Andrea Dalzell is currently Ms. Wheelchair New York 2015, as well as a student at The College of Staten Island studying neuroscience with a minor in medical technology. She will be in her Senior year of college this coming September, and will be passing on her crown to the next Ms. Wheelchair New York. She is determined to become a neurologist in the coming years.

The Questions 

Get your links, images, and thoughts ready for the #ThriveCollege chat! Below are the questions we asked you and our featured panelists. Feel free introduce yourself so we can get to know you, as well!

Q1: What do you want to study in college, or what have you studied?

Q2: What are some tips for finding the right school and starting the application process?

Q3: What were the challenges during your first year of college?

Q4: How effective was/is the disability department at your college?

Q5: Did you live on campus, or are you planning to? Were you able to get the services you need to live there?

Q6: What do you love about college? Or what are you looking forward to?

Q7: What were some problems faced in your college years? For future students, what worries you?

Q8: What are some good resources, apps, and organization tips for students with disabilities?

Q9: What are/were your post-graduation plans? What barriers do disabled students face transitioning from academia to the work force?

Q10: Anything else?