Gavilan College Disability Resource Center honored

Gavilan program nets Outstanding Community Agency award
The Gavilan College WorkAbility III Program and the Disability
Resource Center were honored as the Outstanding Community Agency of
the year by the California Department of Rehabilitation, San Jose
District.
The award was presented at a ceremony in San Jose.
Fran Lopez, the associate dean of Disability Resources and staff
of the DRC will attend the awards ceremony. Lopez termed the
award
”
a great honor, and a tribute to the wonderful, caring staff at
the DRC,
”
in a press release.
Gavilan program nets Outstanding Community Agency award

The Gavilan College WorkAbility III Program and the Disability Resource Center were honored as the Outstanding Community Agency of the year by the California Department of Rehabilitation, San Jose District.

The award was presented at a ceremony in San Jose.

Fran Lopez, the associate dean of Disability Resources and staff of the DRC will attend the awards ceremony. Lopez termed the award “a great honor, and a tribute to the wonderful, caring staff at the DRC,” in a press release.

The nomination for the Gavilan College program stated “The Disability Resource Center at Gavilan College is particularly comprehensive with some unique programs and services available to serve people with a wide range of special needs.

In addition to their highly competent learning disabilities specialists and the classroom accommodations available at all public colleges, they also have an exceptional adaptive physical education program and staff with state-of-the-art workout facilities; a high-tech computer center whose manager and resources continually amaze, with the ability to make the otherwise unattainable, attainable; a tutoring lab staffed by two educators who are patient, creative, workers; a career prep program and HOPE Program whose staff and curriculum help people with developmental disabilities who are not pursuing the traditional college track, meet their needs for vocational training and/or community involvement/access; outstanding, knowledgeable academic advising/counseling staff; competent and responsive office support staff; a truly exceptional workability III Program and Team, who are collaborative, responsive, creative, competent, effective and delightful; and all of them lead by a dynamic, effective Dean who provides inspired service to the Department, the College, and the Community.

The nomination form also state that “The WorkAbility III Program, and all the programs and services in the DRC at Gavilan are exceptional, but it is truly in the ‘service delivery’ that they are able to make the connections meaningful to consumers and community.

The success of the program(s) is evidenced in the numbers, yes. But what makes this program exceptional on a human level can be most clearly seen in how the organization works together and with others, to accomplish common goals.”

The Gavilan College Disability Resouce Center provides students with disabilities quality and excellence in programs, services and support, which enhances the quality of community life, and the development of individual potential for a global environment.

The DRC strives to equalize student educational opportunities and to support as well as educate the faculty, staff, and the community.

Services offered through the DRC include counseling, alternate media, a High Tech Center with Assistive Computer Technology, Learning Skills Assessment, Liaison with Local, State and Federal Agencies, Mobility Assistance, Multi-Media Educational Aids, Note Takers, On-Campus Transportation, Sign Language Interpreters, Deaf Services, Specialized Adapted PE Equipment, and WorkAbility Job Training and Placement, among others. 

TheWorkAbility III Program is a cooperative partnership between Gavilan College and the Department of Rehabilitation Services (DOR).

The purpose of the WAIII program at Gavilan College is to match students from the Department of Rehabilitation to jobs through educational planning and placement.

For more information about the Gavilan College Disability Resource Center  go to www.gavilan.edu/drc/ or call 408-848-4865.