Applications Now Open for Disability:IN's 2027 NextGen Leaders Program

Helping the next generation of talent with disabilities build the skills, relationships, and opportunities to lead in the modern workforce.

Talent with disabilities and neurodivergence bring valuable perspectives to business. As early adopters of assistive technologies, problem-solvers, and natural innovators used to navigate systems creatively, they often develop skills that are increasingly critical in today's workplace.

At Disability:IN, we believe there is no one better positioned to help lead the future of work than talent with disabilities.

For more than 15 years, the NextGen Leaders Program has helped college students, recent graduates, and veterans with disabilities prepare for successful careers. Through meaningful relationships with corporate professionals and immersive development experiences, participants gain the confidence, skills, and connections that transform potential into opportunity. Since it's inception, the program has reached more than 3,200 students, recent graduates, and veterans. We're proud to announce that applications for the 2027 NextGen Leaders Program are officially open.

More Than Career Preparation

Finding a first internship, first job, or first professional mentor can be challenging for any emerging professional. For many NextGen participants, the program provides something just as, if not more, important: a network.

‍Research released by Disability:IN and LinkedIn found that professional networks play a significant role in career mobility, helping individuals discover new opportunities, build relationships, and advance professionally. As LinkedIn Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer Blake Lawit noted, "an individual's network is a powerful tool in career mobility, both within your existing role and in finding new opportunities."

Programs like NextGen help participants build those opportunities earlier by connecting emerging talent directly with professionals, recruiters, mentors, and business leaders from Disability:IN's corporate partner network. Many participants enter the program seeking career advice or industry exposure. They leave with something more enduring: a professional network that can support them throughout their careers.

As Russell Shaffer, Chief Chief Accessibility and Programs Officer at Disability:IN explains: "Having that peer group and support network you can turn to, people who understand your experience and can offer a word of encouragement or a bit of perspective when you're facing a challenge, is incredibly valuable and often overlooked."

Participants consistently point to the relationships they build through the program as one of its most valuable benefits.

For Miles Balfour, a student in Carnegie Mellon University's Master of Human-Computer Interaction program, the program provided a sense of connection and belonging that helped him better understand himself and the value of community: "The most remarkable takeaways from the Disability:IN NextGen Leaders program so far have been the openness, the community, and the sense of recognition."

Through NextGen, he found examples of leaders and professionals who were succeeding without hiding their disability identities, "It's been the opportunity to see not only how people thrive with disabilities, not only how people succeed with disabilities, but how people have connected, learned, and lived with disabilities."

Building the Next Generation of Business Leaders

At Disability:IN, we know disability is a driver of innovation and growth in business. Through mentorship, professional development, and exposure to some of the world's leading employers, participants gain the tools and relationships needed to advance their careers and contribute their unique perspectives in the workplace.

For Jill Houghton, President and CEO of Disability:IN, she sees firsthand the ambition, talent, and leadership potential participants bring to the experience: "When I speak with emerging talent with disabilities, it becomes more apparent than ever that the next generation are the ones who will be shaping the future of business."

That journey, from student to professional, from mentee to mentor, is exactly what the program is designed to foster.

Apply for the 2027 NextGen Leaders Program

Applications for the 2027 NextGen Leaders Program are now open.

Students, recent graduates, and veterans with disabilities who are looking to strengthen their professional networks, develop career readiness skills, connect with mentors, and engage with leading employers are encouraged to apply.

The next generation of business leaders is already here. NextGen helps ensure they have the connections, experiences, and opportunities to thrive.