When Cobey Meyer ’25 headed to Capitol Hill in March to advocate for disability rights in education, he knew his story was “one in a million,” he says. He eagerly met with legislators — New Jersey Senator Andy Kim and Mia Furtado in Senator Cory Booker’s office among them — to share his experiences during a three-day conference for the Think College Policy Advocates program.
Meyer, who is a senior in TCNJ’s Career and Community Studies program for students with intellectual disabilities, developed epilepsy when he was 14 years old. A surgery at 16 for his epilepsy left him with further brain injury. As a student who has straddled living both with and without an intellectual disability, Meyer knows he has a unique perspective, especially when it comes to getting the chance to go to college in an inclusive, post-secondary education program.
“I always wanted to go to college,” he says. “But when I developed epilepsy people started treating me differently. I questioned myself and I wondered if I could ever get there.”
Not only did he get there, but as a Think College Policy Advocate, he’s part of a nationwide group of student and staff teams that meet regularly to educate policymakers about the importance of college experiences and employment opportunities for individuals with intellectual disabilities.
“Programs like CCS give people with disabilities a chance to learn how to socialize, build career readiness, and have a full college experience,” Meyer says. He points to skills he developed in his internships at Merck and the Developmental Disability Council as key to preparing him for a career in advocacy and learning how to use his story to affect change.
“When I was at the Capitol, I felt like I was on top of the world because I was doing what I loved,” he says. “Spreading the word and supporting programs for people with disabilities in all colleges can help create a more inclusive environment for everyone.”
— Kara Pothier MAT ’08