UpDate - Vol. 11, No. 21, Page 4
February 27, 1991
Individuals with disabilities proud of campus employment

     It's a win/win situation. That 's the consensus about
employing individuals with disabilities from Wanda Tyree, personnel
director, Anthony Cerulli, assistant director, both of Dining
Services, and Rick Bohrer of Delaware Elwyn.
     The University employs approximately 40 people with
disabilities, working with Delaware Elwyn, which assists
individuals with mental retardation; the Easter Seal Rehabilitation
Center; the Salvation Army; and the Delaware Association for
Retarded Citizens (ARC).
     According to Cerulli, it has been increasingly difficult to
find student employees to fill lunchtime positions in Dining
Services because of students' schedules. The decision was made
about three years ago to work through local organizations to hire
individuals with disabilities.
     "It's worked out extremely well," Tyree said. "The employees
are prompt, dependable and enjoy their jobs. They are friendly and
get along well with other employees and students."
     Bohrer, who is coordinator of support services for Elwyn's
Community Employment Program, concurred. "The workers from Elwyn
are unhappy people for three months in the summer and are eager to
get back to work. They like their University jobs and
independence," he said.
     There are 24 individuals with mental retardation who came to
the University from Elwyn's shelter program, where they performed
assembly-line tasks, such as preparing mailings. When the workers,
who work in the dishrooms of Harrington, the Student Center and
Rodney, are first employed they are trained by a job coach from
Elwyn, who continues to monitor them. In some cases, the workers
have been given further responsibilities, such as working the
serving lines.
     Elwyn formerly transported employees to work, but since the
object of the program is to make them self-reliant, employees now
have to provide their own means of transportation. With guidance
from Elwyn, a group now makes the trip to and from Wilmington using
public transportation.
     ARC, which has eight employees working for Dining Services,
has a different system. The employer provides training, and ARC
reimburses the employer during the job entry period.
     People with physical disabilities also have been hired by
Dining Services in jobs that use their talents and abilities.
     In accordance with University policy, Dining Services actively
recruits and employs disabled people, and the results have
beneficial for everyone concerned, Tyree said.
                                        - Sue Swyers Moncure