School of Communication (SCOM) student Zachary Staubitz attended the Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) Conference that took place from October 23 through October 25.  

 This disability-led organization aims to enhance equity, collaborate, and advocate for individuals with disabilities in rural communities. APRIL’ s mission is to create a space of inclusivity and advance the rights of individuals with disabilities in America. Zach had the opportunity to attend this conference and connect with other youth members with disabilities, share his personal story, and learn from others’ experiences. 

“I want to build connections with others who can relate to me and encourage young people to continue pursuing their goals,” Staubitz said.  

In September, Staubitz completed the Blooming Collaborative Youth Leadership program through APRIL. This 8 week-long virtual leadership program was created for youth and young adults with disabilities to learn from disability leaders, develop leadership skills, and build lasting connections with everyone involved. Those who completed the program were qualified to apply for a scholarship to attend the APRIL Conference. Staubitz shared that his experience in this program allowed him to continue developing his leadership skills, interact with his community, and take the necessary steps toward self-advocacy. He highlighted how different speakers in Blooming Collaborative positively impacted him and how he will approach leadership moving forward. 

“Hearing their experiences and learning from their leadership journeys gave me different perspectives on leadership and self-advocacy that I can take with me as I continue my involvement with APRIL Youth,” Staubitz said.  

As the founder of Market Industry News, a media publication covering developments in the social media landscape, he hopes to use his experience to help APRIL and Centers for Independent Living (CILs) understand how social media can help them connect with their communities. He hopes to possibly lead his own workshop with APRIL next year to highlight the social media landscape and see how CILs can effectively use social media.  

Staubitz reflects on his time at Florida State University and how the University has contributed to his growth as an aspiring media professional. Through his classes and experiences at FSU, he hopes to take what he learned and apply it to APRIL. 

“I want to continue building my skills while using what I have learned to contribute to APRIL Youth and its mission,” Staubitz said. 

Staubitz enjoyed attending all the workshops and gaining valuable insight into the different social media resources that can be used at the Center for Independent Living. As he continues moving forward, he strives to take all that he learned throughout the conference and apply it to his future work in communications and disability advocacy.