JoLynne Lyon Receives Society Of Professional Journalism Award

CPD Public Relations Specialist JoLynne Lyon was recently recognized with a second-place award in the “Education” category of the 2020 Utah Society of Professional Journalists Headliners Contest. The organization annually honors media communicators in Utah who exemplifiy outstanding dedication to journalistic principles and service to journalism in the state.

Lyon's Utah Public Radio piece, Transitioning To The Adult World For Persons With Disabilities, is a 6-minute segment which includes an Aggies Elevated student and Aggies Elevated program director, Sue Reeves, addressing employment for young adults with disabilities. Currently, eight in 10 people with disabilities are not in the labor force, compared with three in 10 among people without a disability.

Lyon’s interviews included a variety of voices, discussing experiences in finding and keeping jobs.

"I really enjoyed learning about the steps Autistic people and people with disabilities were taking to get jobs. And not just any job, but the jobs they really wanted," Lyon said.

The segment is part of a series called “Diagnosed”, a yearlong radio series on Healthcare sponsored in collaboration with Intermountain Healthcare, UPR, and the CPD, as well as the Disability Law Center for some disability-specific sections. View the entire series.