Recently, we were lucky enough to have a lively conversation with a group of college students during our panel discussion: College After Epilepsy Surgery.

OUR PANELISTS:

• Bennett Vernick, California State University East Bay, CA
• Candon Westervelt, Tompkins Cortland Community College, NY
• Hannah Webb, College of Charleston REACH Program, SC
• Kaitlyn O’Connor, Pitzer College, CA
• Rosin Crosby, Hofstra University, NY

Some of the questions we discussed include:

• What inspired you to pursue college? 
• What is the difference between high school and college? 
• What kinds of disability supports are available to you? 
• How well does your college support your health and disability needs? 
• Did you receive preparation before college on how to manage your health and disability support needs in college?
• Have you been able to make social connections with other students? What helped? 
• How has being an epilepsy surgery survivor shaped your college path?

Resources

Here are some key resources about transitioning to college:

Additional resources:

• Accessible College: college preparation and transition support for students with physical disabilities and health conditions. Provides Executive Function Coaching and Free Consultations to Students with Paralysis Who are Transitioning to College.
• Assistive Technology for Transition Success (National Parent Center on Transition and Employment – PACER Center)
• College Planning (National Parent Center on Transition and Employment)
• College Readiness Resource Center is designed to help the many people involved in helping students prepare for college (and life in general) with thoughtful, expert guidance to plan for successful outcomes, whatever they are – whether that’s straight to college, pre-college training programs, or heading straight to work. (Perkins School for the Blind)
• College Success: Physical Disabilities, Chronic Health & Mental Health Facebook group
• Going to College: Tips for Students with Visual Impairments (PACER National Parent Center on Transition and Employment)
• Guide to Assessing College Readiness (Landmark College)
• How Winners of the UCB Family Epilepsy Scholarship Prepare to Go Back to School (UCB)
• Involving Teens and Young Adults in Selecting Assistive Technology  (National Parent Center on Transition and Employment – PACER Center)
• Think College provides resources, technical assistance, and training related to college options for students with intellectual disabilities and manages the only national listing of college programs for students with intellectual disabilities in the United States.

Audrey Vernick is the Director of Patient and Family Advocacy for The Brain Recovery Project. She is the parent of a child who had hemispherectomy for seizures caused by stroke. Ms. Vernick holds a level 2 certification in Special Education Advocacy Training from the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates and is certified by The ARC in future planning. She represents The Brain Recovery Project in the Rare Epilepsy Network‘s Adult Transition Taskforce and serves on the Youth Advisory Council for HOBSCOTCH (HOme Based Self-management and COgnitive Training CHanges lives), a behavioral program designed to address memory and attention problems for people who have epilepsy.