COE Awarded $925K to Strengthen Vocational Rehabilitation Workforce 

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – The University of Memphis College of Education (COE) has been awarded a five-year, $925,657 Rehabilitation Long-Term Training Grant by the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) Rehabilitation Services Administration. The grant supports COE’s graduate program in Vocational Rehabilitation, which enhances employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities by increasing the number of professionals with master’s degrees in rehabilitation counseling. 

Led by Dr. Steve Zanskas (principal investigator) and Dr. Pam Cogdal (co-principal investigator), the initiative builds on a longstanding partnership with the Tennessee Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, which began in 1971 as a work-study program. 

The grant from ED focuses on supporting bachelor’s-level staff across Tennessee who are already employed in vocational rehabilitation roles, providing tuition coverage and student stipends as they complete a master’s degree through the University of Memphis. COE’s Vocational Rehabilitation program, which was once a 48-hour graduate-level program, has been redesigned into a 30-hour program and is offered fully online through UMGlobal, able to be completed part-time in just two years. 

“This grant represents our continued commitment to strengthening the rehabilitation counseling workforce across the state,” said Dr. Zanskas, professor and associate dean of the College of Education. “By preparing highly qualified professionals dedicated to empowering individuals with disabilities, we’re advancing opportunities for meaningful employment and independent living.” 

The award reinforces the University of Memphis’ mission to advancing, access, and opportunity through research, education and community partnership.