Mentoring Day

Mentoring: Day designed to encourage people who have disabilities

Ramon Sanchez an Architectural Technology student at Delta College, talks with Donald Koster, president of Dow-Howell-Gilmore-Associates Inc., left, and Project Architect David Keyser at their office Wednesday morning about pursuing a career in architecture.

Angela E. Lackey , The Midland Daily News 10/17/2002

The talk flowed from the importance of designing waterproof buildings to the sharp increase in liability insurance for architectural firms since Sept. 11. One person was an architect with years in the field. The other was a college student hoping to break into the field – and a person with a disability.

Ramon Sanchez and David Keyser participated Wednesday in National Disability Mentoring Day (NDMD), in which students with disabilities spend time with mentors. The local event’s sponsors included DiverseAbility LLC, the Center for Independent Living of Mid-Michigan and The Dow Chemical Co.

Sanchez, 25, of Saginaw uses a wheelchair that moves by a hand switch. He has a tube connected to his throat to help him breathe. He also is a Delta College student in the architectural technology program who loves all things construction related.

He chose to spend the morning with Keyser at Dow-Howell-Gilmore-Associates Inc. in Midland. Keyser loves his job and talks enthusiastically about a hotel project in Kalamazoo, the organic architecture first espoused by Alden B. Dow, the firm’s founder, and changes in the field.

Sanchez seems to want to know everything. He fires questions at Keyser – What classes would be good to take? Is manual drawing still used to develop plans? Does Keyser work alone or in a team?

While they chat in Keyser’s cubicle, decorated with plans, pictures and several strange-looking bendable figures, the firm’s president, Donald Koster, comes in to talk about the field and assure Sanchez about the worthiness of architecture.

Most architectural work is done by one of several computer-aided programs. Sanchez said it never occurred to him to think he couldn’t work in the field because of his disability.

Nationally, employment statistics are a bit more grim for people with disabilities. According to the NDMD, a 1994-95 National Health Interview Survey found only 37 percent of people with disabilities were working. More than half of non-working adults with disabilities said they ran into difficulties when looking for work. Areas of concern included lack of transportation, fear of losing health insurance or Medicaid and discouragement from family and friends.