Illinois Institute of Technology has received two five-year grants, each worth $1 million, from the United States Department of Education’s Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). The grants have been awarded to Professor of Psychology Nicole Ditchman and Assistant Professor Lindsay Sheehan. Their goal is to address the shortage of vocational rehabilitation counselors across the country.
Vocational rehabilitation counselors play a key role in supporting people with disabilities as they enter or re-enter the workforce. These professionals help individuals prepare for employment and navigate workplace challenges. Illinois Tech has a history of training such counselors through programs supported by RSA funding.
“There’s something really important about helping people to be engaged in their community by working,” said Ditchman. “The goal is to [instill] high-quality skills in people [so that they can] go and work with diverse individuals with disabilities providing vocational rehabilitation, with an emphasis on working for the public vocational rehabilitation system or related agencies.”
The new grants will fund tuition scholarships and advanced training for two groups of 17 scholars each. Illinois Tech will provide a one-to-one tuition match for each grant, ensuring that about 90 percent of funds are directed to students through tuition coverage, stipends, scholarships, and professional development support.
Ditchman’s project supports students who plan to work with people with various disabilities, while Sheehan’s focuses on training counselors specifically for individuals with psychiatric disabilities. “Historically, there’s been a lack of vocational rehabilitation counselors that are skilled to work with folks who have a psychiatric disability,” said Sheehan.
Both projects include a scholar academy featuring workshops, guest speakers, and community-building experiences alongside traditional coursework. “This allows the students the opportunity to build a sense of community and for us to provide more targeted training on areas that are particularly relevant for people pursuing vocational rehabilitation,” said Ditchman. “Also, a big part of it is connecting them with our alumni.”
Illinois Tech has established an extensive network of graduates over decades of counselor training. This network provides current scholars with mentorship and advice as they prepare for changes in the labor market. “We really want the scholars to be ready for the cutting edge—to be prepared for changes in the workforce,” said Ditchman.
All participating scholars will also complete internships with the Illinois Division of Rehabilitation Services to gain experience in public service roles. “The grant really is intended to help fill that need for the public vocational rehabilitation service system,” added Sheehan.
Through these RSA-funded initiatives, Illinois Tech aims to continue its tradition of preparing counselors equipped to support individuals with disabilities as they pursue meaningful careers.