NSU Hosts FREE Expo, Wheelchair Basketball Game, Art Showcase & Career Fair for People with Disabilities

Celebrate Disability Awareness Month at NSU! 33^rd Annual Expo takes place on Saturday, Oct. 6, with related events Oct. 2 to 9

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – October is Disability Awareness Month, and to help celebrate and honor those of all abilities, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) will host one of Florida’s largest and longest running expos for people with disabilities on Saturday, Oct. 6.

The free 33^rd Annual DisAbilities Expo and its related events will offer many opportunities for people with physical, emotional, and psychological disabilities. Activities include:

• “See the World Through Our Eyes” Opening Gala – Thursday, Oct. 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
  This one-of-a-kind art exhibit showcases the talent of local artists with disabilities, and is the kick-off of the DisAbilities Expo series of events. Includes more than 60 pieces of art, and light refreshments. Free and open to the public. The exhibit will be on display through Tuesday, Oct. 9. Location: NSU’s Don Taft University Center.
• 7^th Annual Connections Career Fair – Friday, Oct. 5 from 1 to 4 p.m.
  This unique career fair connects employers to talented job seekers with disabilities. Registration begins at 12:30 p.m. and the fair opens at 1 p.m. Free and open to the public. Location: NSU’s Carl DeSantis Building, which houses the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship.
• DisAbilities Expo Main Event – Saturday, Oct. 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  The Expo aims to provide the latest services, resources, products and information for individuals with developmental, sensory, emotional or physical disabilities. Features FREE health information, educational seminars, more than 60 exhibits, live music and entertainment, art exhibition, Kid’s Zone, yoga classes and more. Additional features include:
  • Wheelchair Basketball Tournament – Teams duke it out for the championship in NSU’s Don Taft University Center Basketball Courts. Schedule includes:
    Game 1: 10-11:30 a.m. – Sunrise Suns vs. Miami Heatwheel
    Game 2: 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Tampa Bay Strong Dogs vs. Orlando Magic
    Demos: 1-1:15 p.m. – Goal Ball demonstration for the visually impaired, and 1:15-1:45 p.m. – 911 Fit-Ability Boot Camp, with hip-hop music to energize; for all abilities.
    Game 3: 1:45-3:15 p.m. – Loser of games 1 and 2 play
    Game 4: 3:30-5 p.m. – Winner of games 1 and 2 play
• Inspiration Runway & Fashion Show – From 1:30 to 3 p.m. This runway show presented by VPG Autos features touching stories from models with disabilities. Light refreshments served.

All Expo-related events are free, and take place on NSU’s main campus at 3301 College Ave. in Davie. The expo is open to people with disabilities, their family and friends, and the general public.

Expo-related event participants can learn about local South Florida disability agencies, organizations and businesses that will provide services, programs, resources, free goodies and products for children, teens, adults and seniors with disabilities.

The expo is presented by NSU’s Alvin Sherman Library, 2-1-1 Broward, Center for Independent Living, Paralyzed Veterans Association of Florida, Broward Family Life and the Agency for Persons with Disabilities as well as Broward County’s Libraries Division and Parks and Recreation Division. Additional Expo sponsors include Angels Services, Broward County School Board/Child Find, and Florida Center For Allergy and Asthma Care.

For more information about the Expo and events leading up to it, please call 954-537-0211 or 954-537-2844 (TTY) for the hearing impaired, or visit http://www.disabilitiesexpo.com.  

About the Library: The Alvin Sherman Library is a joint-use facility, which is the result of an innovative agreement between NSU and the Broward County Board of County Commissioners. The five-story Library, Research, and Information Technology Center is Florida’s largest library building at 325,000 square feet. It serves the residents of and those who work in Broward County, as well as NSU students, faculty, and staff members. For more information visit www.nova.edu/library/main/. To sign up for a library card, visit www.nova.edu/library/card.

About Nova Southeastern University: Located in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic fully accredited Florida University dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 28,000 students and is the eighth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The University awards associate’s, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, specialist, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences.  Classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU was also awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification in 2010 for the University’s significant commitment to and demonstration of community engagement.   For more information about NSU visit www.nova.edu.

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Media Contact:
Andra Liwag, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5309 office, 954-873-8494 cell, andrali@nova.edu