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Collaboration between Career Services and Disability Services Works! The DCO Model

About the Presenters

After joining the University of Tennessee (UT) in 1998, Alan Muir recognized a disconnection between post-secondary offices of disability services, and career services at most universities across the country. With Dr. Bob Greenberg, Director of Career Services at UT, he conducted preliminary research to document this anecdotal gap for the very first time. Subsequently, Mr. Muir co-founded Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD), and with the support of U.S. Department of Labor funding in 2001, became COSD’s Executive Director. Under his leadership, COSD experienced significant growth, and currently has brought together member entities including universities, employers, and U.S. Government agencies focused on career employment of college graduates with disabilities. Mr. Muir has presented at universities, employers and many conferences across the country. Mr. Muir’s previous employment experience was as Vice-President with Chase Manhattan Bank on Long Island in New York.

Alan’s other involvement in disability and employment issues include current memberships in the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD), Tennessee AHEAD, National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) and the Southeastern Association of Colleges and Employers (SACE). Community service participation includes the Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities in Nashville and Treasurer of the Disability Resource Center in Knoxville. Mr. Muir was named as a recipient of the 2004 AAPD / Paul G. Hearne Leadership Award, a distinguished and highly competitive national honor.

Alan Muir - Executive Director COSD
100 Dunford Hall
Knoxville, TN 37996-4010
Tel: 865.974.7148
Fax: 865.974.6497
amuir@cosdonline.org

Sarah Helm serves as the Disability-Careers Office (DCO) Coordinator at The University of Tennessee, which is a liaison position between the UT offices of Disability Services and Career Services.  Her primary responsibility is to assist individual college students and alumni, with various disabilities, by providing career planning services and guidance. More specifically, the DCO provides assistance related to the development of self-advocacy skills, disability disclosure strategies, and in requesting reasonable workplace accommodations.  Sarah moved to Knoxville from West Lafayette, IN where she served as the Purdue Opportunity Awards Program Coordinator, which is a scholarship program for high financial need students who have faced personal hardship.  She received her master's degree in College Student Personnel from Bowling Green State University and her bachelor's degree from Illinois State University.

Sarah Helm
Coordinator - Disability-Careers Office
University of Tennessee
100 Dunford Hall
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Phone: 865-974-6860
dco@utk.edu