Moon Township, Pa. – Robert Morris University (RMU) will participate in Disability Mentoring Day, a nationwide event in which high school students with disabilities learn education and job opportunities, on Wednesday, Oct. 15.

Fifty students Pittsburgh-area high schools will visit RMU’s Moon Township campus to meet with faculty, staff and students and learn about the University’s academic programs and campus life. An RMU student mentor will pair up with each visitor to talk about college life and academic opportunities.

Campus tours and panel discussions will explain the college admissions process and examine employment opportunities for graduates. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

RMU will be the only Pittsburgh-area college or university participating in this year’s Disability Mentoring Day.

Visitors can learn to “be their own best advocate in finding out what colleges and universities are best for them,” said Kishma Decastro-Sallis, director of the PPG Industries Career and Leadership Development Center at Robert Morris University.

UPMC, FedEx Ground, Bayer, PNC Bank and Bank of New York Mellon are among the companies participating in the event, which organized locally by Bender Consulting Services Inc. The firm provides consulting services to people with disabilities.

“We want kids with disabilities to have the opportunity to have a mentor for the day to know what types of jobs are available and what they need to do to get them,” said Scott Hammerstrom, senior recruiter for Bender and coordinator of Disability Mentoring Day in Pittsburgh.

“All the other kids get that opportunity. But kids with disabilities often get left out,” said Hammerstrom.