Tabor College signed an agreement last week to form a partnership with Project SEARCH, which aims to equip young adults with disabilities with job skills training.
The agreement between the college and the Marion County Special Education Cooperative makes Tabor the official work site of Project SEARCH in Marion County.
While logistical work will begin immediately, the program will officially open in August at the start of the new school year.
“I am thrilled that Tabor College has this opportunity,” said Jules Glanzer, Tabor president. “Providing internships for those who have disabilities, helping them adjust to the real world increasing their ability to contribute to society in meaningful ways, is an honor for us.”
Laura Baldwin, who serves as the Project SEARCH chairperson for Marion County, has been instrumental in bringing Tabor on board as the work site.
“We’ve always known Tabor to provide an excellent education, but the more we learned about the people at Tabor and the opportunities for young people with disabilities in Marion County, we knew it was the right choice for this initiative,” Baldwin said.
Daneen Landis, coordinator of career services and academic support at Tabor, will serve as the business liaison between the two organizations to place individuals in work positions on Tabor’s campus.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to both strengthen and deepen our relationship with the Hillsboro community while serving these interns,” Landis said.
Landis said Tabor is an ideal location for the program in Marion County.
“The community at Tabor makes it a wonderful place to work,” she said. “Our faculty and staff take so much care to learn about students’ lives in and out of the classroom. They make an extra effort to show support and that makes Tabor a special place.”
Project SEARCH, launched in 1996 in Cincinnati, has grown to more than 300 work sites across the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia.
“Project SEARCH is a natural fit at Tabor College,” Glanzer said. “Its mission directly aligns with ours to prepare people for a life of learning, work and service for Christ and his kingdom. I can’t think of a more appropriate partnership than this one to move forward that mission.”
