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<p class="MsoNormal">FYI:<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">Dave<o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> DeSantis, Shane (DEED) <shane.desantis@state.mn.us>
<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, September 19, 2023 7:39 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> #DEED_SSB-AllStaff <SSB-AllStaff.DEED@state.mn.us><br>
<b>Subject:</b> BVI Role Model Inquiry <o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Hello Everyone,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">I hope all is well across the board and you are looking forward to my favorite season of the year. I am in the very early stages of coordinating a Career Expo for our transition students. If you were around
in 2019, you may remember Sheila putting together this event and bringing together a variety of blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind volunteers working in various occupations to offer their time to our students.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">I am seeking volunteers to come together and assist with this event. I am hoping I can gather a variety of blind, visually impaired, and DeafBlind professionals at this event to create space for them to inspire
and serve as potential role models for students ages 14 and up. Volunteers will have a table in a room full of other volunteers to allow students to approach them and ask questions about their road to where they are today. Students attending will have some
prompts for networking questions and learning from others, and the volunteers will just be asked to share their stories and offer advice/encouragement and any sort of mentoring and networking interaction helpful for our future professionals.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">I am working to get this inquiry out and would love it if you all could help me spread the word. If you know of anyone who may be willing to volunteer their time to chat with our youth, please get in touch
with me or send your contact my information so we can chat further. I am looking at the end of April or early May to host this on a Saturday here in the Twin Cities. I will create and blast out a flyer once I have a date and location. Volunteers will be asked
to plan for a mid-morning start and end in early afternoon. Details are in the works and I am hoping to provide a lunch for everyone attending. I am working on breakout discussions during the day for both students and parents.
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Please help me spread the word and gather a pool of potential volunteers. Reach out if you have any questions!
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt">Take care,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">Shane DeSantis, MS, CRC | Transition Coordinator (He/Him)<br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">State Services for the Blind<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><i><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
</span></i><b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%"><br>
</span></b><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">2200 University Ave. W., Suite 240, St. Paul MN 55114<b><br>
</b>Office: 651-539-2354<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">Cell: 651-358-5205<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%">OFFICE HOURS: Mon-Thurs 6:30 am – 5:00 pm
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:105%"><span style="font-size:14.0pt;line-height:105%"><a href="http://mn.gov/deed" title="Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development website, mn.gov/deed"><span style="color:blue">Web</span></a>
<span style="color:black">| </span><a href="http://twitter.com/mndeed" title="Follow DEED on Twitter at twitter.com/mndeed"><span style="color:blue">Twitter</span></a><span style="color:black"> |
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