For This Psychology Graduate, Working with Individuals with Disabilities is Inspirational
By Susan Malovany
Andy Warhol said that everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes. Joanne Messina, alumna in NLU's College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and NLU adjunct faculty member, received her 15 minutes of fame when her work was featured on ABC News and Chicago Access Cable Television six years ago.
At that time, Messina was assistant V.P. of the Chicago office of ABN AMRO North America. She developed an award–winning employment program while working there that supported employees with disabilities, and her accomplishments were videotaped and lauded by the local media. "It's so rewarding working with persons with disabilities, and to have my work featured on TV was extraordinary and unexpected," she explains.
Messina received her B.A. in Applied Behavioral Sciences from NLU's College of Arts and Sciences in 1997. She received her M.A. in Psychology at NLU in 1999, and went on to get her Ph.D. in Psychology, with a specialization in industrial organizational psychology, from another university. She has taught as an adjunct faculty member at NLU since 2004—Advanced Industrial Organizational Psychology at the graduate level and Managing Interpersonal Communications in Organizational Psychology on the undergraduate level.
Advocate at LADSE
Messina also received NLU's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004 for her humanitarian service work. She received her award for spending most of her career as an advocate for individuals with disabilities. She is committed to making the quality of life and opportunity work the same for people with disabilities as it for those without disabilities.
Messina currently works full–time, since 2004, as a transition consultant for the LaGrange (Illinois) Area District of Special Education (LADSE). She explains that LADSE is a "cooperative of 17 public school districts located in western Cook and eastern DuPage counties. LADSE was the first cooperative in the state of Illinois providing services for students with disabilities seven years before it became law." LADSE formed the first school/adult service partnership with the Division of Rehabilitation Services to provide vocational experience to students in high school. Messina explains, "The Vocational Department, where I work, has received several awards and we continue to develop collaborative efforts within the communities served."
LADSE was awarded funding again from the President's Office on Employment and Training. "The purpose of this funding," Messina explains, "is to offer students with disabilities an opportunity to enroll in a work–related, skills–based program. Our mission is to build a bridge of academic and vocational experiences and successes that will lead to success in life after high school."
One of Messina's most fulfilling experiences was her work with a client with Down Syndrome. "One experience that comes to mind is a meeting where we discussed the client's lifelong goal to work within the area of business support," says Messina. "For over nine months I met with various senior–level managers to develop and design a position for my client. She was interviewed and hired to work for a financial corporation in Chicago. I've known this young lady for over 10 years and she has continued to gain work–related skills and knowledge and is an exemplary employee. There was a recent acquisition at the corporation and only a few employees retained their position in the Chicago office—she was one of those employees."
The difference NLU has made
Messina says that her experiences at NLU have made all the difference in her life. "The professors that I met during my undergraduate and graduate degrees were true mentors—they had a keen ability to inspire and encourage their students to be the best of the best," she notes. "I also consider many of my colleagues from the master's degree program to be friends. We continue to connect and meet with each other on a regular basis." Messina adds that NLU stands apart from other universities because it continues to offer outstanding education to the adult learner. "The degrees I earned from NLU were extremely beneficial for my career growth and opened many doors and opportunities," she emphasizes.
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