MNLEND: Apply Today!
Applications are closing soon for the next Minnesota Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (MNLEND) fellowship at the University of Minnesota.
MNLEND brings together a diverse cohort to advance interdisciplinary leadership in neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD). This cohort includes graduate students from more than 16 disciplines at the University – such as social work, pediatrics, dentistry, occupational therapy, nursing, and public health – as well as post-doctoral fellows, professionals, and community members. These MNLEND fellows work together with instructors with a wide variety of expertise to understand and help shape disability policy and navigate across the many NDD-related fields. Many fellows have gone on to assume organizational leadership roles.
The Institute on Community Integration, a designated University Center of Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, serves as the academic home for MNLEND, which is part of a national network of LEND programs working together to address issues of importance to children with neurodevelopmental care needs and their families. Partners include the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain , the College of Education + Human Development’s Department of Educational Psychology, the Department of Pediatrics, and the College of Liberal Arts’ Department of Speech Language and Hearing Sciences.
“MNLEND equips fellows with the knowledge and skills to drive meaningful change in their respective fields,” said BiKé Ojomo, program coordinator for MNLEND. “The results speak for themselves in stronger disability policies, empowered communities, and improved quality of life for people with disabilities and their families.”
Michelle Pettit, an occupational therapist and current MNLEND fellow, said the experience is sharpening her professional skills and giving her a personal sense of ownership in making the world more inclusive.
“Having the opportunity to think deeply about access and care, and to be getting the latest, best information out there from experienced, knowledgeable people, including people with lived experience of disability, really gives you a better understanding,” said Pettit, who co-owns Roots and Wings Therapeutic Services . Already grounded in the varying perspectives of disability, Pettit’s practice name nods to practitioners’ respect for the fundamental aspects of the human condition while offering pathways to enhance lives. She is working on a project during her MNLEND experience to develop training presentations for occupational therapists and others on self-injurious behaviors.
“With a newborn and my practice, I knew balancing things would be challenging, but I still wanted to do this because it meant being part of making the world more inclusive,” she said. “Whether they’re disabled or not, I want my children to live in a more inclusive world because we’re all better off when those who have been historically marginalized are empowered to live full and meaningful lives.”
Other fellows participating in the 10-month experience this year include master’s and doctoral degree candidates in public health and policy, nursing, audiology, neuroscience, and special education; residents in dentistry and physical therapy; and community members from diverse ethnic and cultural communities with expertise in child development, special education, autism, and other disciplines.
Fellows meet weekly during one academic year for half-day group sessions, along with other experiences. To learn more, see background information here, and read about previous MNLEND cohorts here.