College Bound Resource Fair for Students with Disabilities Feb. 1 

Jan 23, 2025

The annual College Bound Resource Fair for students with disabilities returns to the Bellevue College campus from 9 AM to 1:30 PM on Saturday, Feb. 1. This free event was created for aspiring college students with learning disabilities and the families and educators in their lives as well.  

OLS students during graduation in 2019.

The annual College Bound Resource Fair for students with disabilities returns to the Bellevue College campus from 9 AM to 1:30 PM on Saturday, Feb. 1. This free event was created for aspiring college students with learning disabilities and the families and educators in their lives as well.  

Since 2017, the Occupational and Life Skills (OLS) program at Bellevue College has presented this event to bring information and resources for students with disabilities pursuing a college education. The event will feature three college programs: Occupational and Life Skills, Achieve Highline College, and WSU ROAR. Vendors and service providers will also be on hand to offer information about available support services.  

This year, the College Bound Resource Fair will feature a keynote presentation, “Leveraging Technology in Inclusive Employment,” by Sarah Heinzen, a senior product designer at the Microsoft Inclusive Tech Lab, and Gillian Maguire, a senior program manager within the Microsoft Real Estate and Facilities Supported Employment Program. 

“Occupational and Life Skills Bellevue College is thrilled to host the College Bound Resource Fair, providing an essential opportunity for students with disabilities, their families, and educators to explore pathways to higher education,” said Dr. Meg Iyer, the associate dean of Occupational and Life Skills. “Our goal is to empower students with the resources and support they need to succeed in college and beyond. We are especially excited to welcome Microsoft, a valued partner, to share their innovative approaches to inclusive employment and technology.” 

Occupational and Life Skills is an associate degree program for students with learning disabilities. In this skills-based program, students apply academic knowledge through community activities, service learning, and social experiences. Students identify a career pathway, gain marketable, workplace-ready competencies, develop better interpersonal skills, and complete an internship in alignment with their career goals. 

“When I came to Bellevue to be part of the OLS program, my expectations were low, and I thought I would just fall back and end up leaving,” Zyan Gish, an Occupational and Life Skills, student said. “After the first few months leading into the end of my first year, [I saw] the amount of passion the teachers have that aided their students’ growth. My interest in learning, exploring thoughts of where I want my life to be, and most of all to me being an OLS student, has made me want to put effort into my education, and has once more made me determined to reach expectations and a higher standard than I would give myself.” 

Bellevue College’s Occupational and Life Skills program was founded over 15 years ago by a group of parents and Bellevue College staff. Bellevue College was approved to offer an associate degree in Occupational and Life Skills in 2006. For more information about OLS, visit the Occupational and Life Skills website. 

College Bound Resource Fair:   

9 AM – 1:30 PM, Saturday, Feb. 1  

Bellevue College  

3000 Landerholm Circle SE  

Bellevue, WA 98007  

This event is free and open to the public, but pre-registration is required as space is limited. This year’s College Bound Resource Fair is made possible by a grant from the Bellevue College Foundation. For more information and to register, visit the College Bound Resource Fair website.