Recruiter with Alphapointe in Kansas City to receive award that recognizes employees who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired
NIB Board of Directors Chairperson Paul Healy (left) and NIB President and CEO Soraya Correa (right) with 2024 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award Winner Terrie Collins at the NIB/NAEPB Training Conference and Expo Awards Banquet on October 17.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 24, 2024—National Industries for the Blind has selected Terrie Collins as its national 2024 Milton J. Samuelson Career Achievement Award winner. Collins, who is blind, serves as a recruiter for Alphapointe in Kansas City, Mo. The award recognizes employees who are blind, low vision or visually impaired and have demonstrated career advancement at an NIB associated nonprofit agency or in the private sector.
NIB’s board of directors established the award in 1996. It was named in honor of Samuelson, a former board member who was a leader and advocate for upward mobility and placement programs benefiting people who are blind, have low vision or are visually impaired. This year, NIB associated nonprofit agencies from across the country submitted nominees for the award, and Collins and those nominees will be formally recognized this fall during NIB’s annual Training Conference and Expo, October 14-18 in Arlington, Va.
Collins’ supervisor, Kristin Stephenson, senior manager of human resources for Alphapointe Kansas City, surprised her with the nomination.
“She goes above and beyond for our employees every day. Terrie excels at maintaining open lines of communication with all parties involved in the hiring process,” Stephenson wrote in the award application. “Terrie is the key to the success of our recruitment of individuals who are blind. She hired 21 people in FY2023, which would not have been possible without the diligent efforts she puts toward researching, networking, and recruiting individuals who are blind and want to work.”
Collins, who lives just outside of Kansas City, first came to the agency in 2018 for rehabilitation services after she began to lose her sight. During that time, she was approached by a staff member who asked if she was interested in a job placement specialist position. She jumped at the opportunity.
“I was thrilled because I had an executive assistance background,” Collins said. “I read resumes, researched candidates and conducted mock interviews. I would go with a colleague to interviews.” It wasn’t long before Stephenson noticed the work Collins was doing and made her a part of the Alphapointe human resources team in 2020.
As a recruiter focused specifically on finding candidates who are blind, low vision, or visually impaired to work at Alphapointe, Collins guides them through every step of the process, from the first call to the moment when they receive a job offer. She also keeps in touch with those she hires. “I follow up with people,” Collins said. “Do they like it? Is there anything they need to talk about?” She will even circle back and speak to people she’s tried recruiting in the past to see if something has changed in their professional journey.
“From start to finish, I’m seeking out an individual who is low vision and getting them to the point of making a job offer,” she said. “I run into blind individuals, many of whom think they can’t work. But once I cross all the hurdles, they’re all in.”
Collins is more than aware of why some people are leery of rejoining the workforce. She previously worked in a corporate setting, and when she began to experience vision loss, felt she had to conceal her condition. “But at Alphapointe, I’m comfortable with my disability. I don’t have to hide it. And I absolutely love working with people.”
For more information on National Industries for the Blind, visit www.nib.org.
# # #
About National Industries for the Blind
Incorporated in 1938, NIB is the nation’s largest employment resource for people who are blind, and through its network of associated nonprofit agencies, is the largest employer of people who are blind in the U.S. NIB creates opportunities for people who are blind to become wage earners and taxpayers, reducing their reliance on government support and increasing engagement in their communities. The organization offers career training and assists employers and employees in developing mutually beneficial workplaces. NIB’s vision is that blindness is not a barrier to employment. In 2021, NIB launched a national talent management enterprise known as NSITE. NSITE provides a continuum of employment services that connect employers with talented, dedicated people who are blind or visually impaired, including veterans. For more information, visit www.nib.org or www.nsite.org.
About Alphapointe
Not-for-profit Alphapointe was founded more than a century ago in Kansas City and is now the region’s largest employer of people who are blind and leading provider of vision rehabilitation, education, and advocacy to anyone experiencing vision loss. The agency is the only comprehensive provider of vision rehabilitation services in the state of Missouri, serving thousands of children, adults, and seniors each year who strive for independence. Alphapointe’s NAC accredited services include low vision rehabilitation, educational outreach, activities for visually impaired youth, braille, orientation and mobility training, adaptive technology, and career counseling. Alphapointe has principle operations in Kansas City and Queens, NY, and its workforce includes highly skilled blind, low vision, and sighted employees whose hard work and dedication serve as a foundation to success. Alphapointe also operates nine facilities in four states, producing quality products with the highest standards for businesses across the nation.