By Nyah Adams / News Director

Two St. Cloud State University faculty members are partnering with nonprofit organization, Rise, to improve employment outcomes for people with disabilities.

Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, Dr. Marcy Young Illies and Assistant Professor in the Department of Special Education, Dr. Brian Valentini received a $30,000 grant to empower people with disabilities.

The grant comes from The Shavlik Family Foundation, which provides the technology needed for people to reach their full potential.

St. Cloud State says the project aims at providing research for variables that make people with disabilities choose community-based employment compared to special minimum wage employment.

Rise notes information from this project will support a roadmap for ending special minimum wage and will provide critical information to other disability service providers, hoping to do the same.