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Statler Fun Facts

Did you know...

...students have traveled more than 50,000 miles to attend the Statler Center? Double that number to calculate the round trip! Students have traveled to Buffalo to attend the program from Las Vegas, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Ohio, California, Texas, Michigan, North and South Carolina, Hawaii, Washington, New Jersey, Minnesota, Missouri,New Mexico, and many more!

...the Statler Center has some international appeal? Statler students born outside of the U.S. were from Jamaica, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, Armenia, Canada, and India.

...the farthest a student has traveled to get to the Statler Center was over 5,000 miles--one-way!

...applicants are competing for enrollment? More than 1,000 people have interviewed for acceptance into our program. As of the last class, more than 340 people have graduated from the Statler Center.

...the average length of time Statler students were unemployed prior to attending the program? It’s 4½ years. Statler graduates are often placed quickly into jobs with our 80% placement rate.

...how helpful our program is? To date, 85% of all Statler graduates are have found employment.

...how needed our program is? The national unemployment rate for individuals who are visually or physically impaired is 70%. Compare this to the national unemployment rate of people without disabilities of 9%.

...what Statler graduates can expect to earn after the program? On average, the starting wage is far above minimum wage. The highest wage earned by a Statler graduate is more than $45,000 annually.

...we've had many a class mascot? Today, Paige is named among the ranks of the many guide dogs who have received honorary Statler certificates: Reggie, Irish, Wolf, Dutchie, Shelley, Wayne, Polly, Viking, Portia, Piedmont, Alden, Angel, Frisbee, John, Impala, Nixie, and Hope.

...the students we just couldn’t get rid of? Steve Zambito graduated in 2002 and has been on the staff of the Statler Center over five years! Graduates Colleen Kaczmarek, Betty Wagner, and Claudia Akin, and Chet Smalley were also hired by the Olmsted Center for Sight.

...we go the extra mile? Statler associates have traveled over 60,000 miles on behalf of graduates to set up adaptive equipment and seek employers for our graduates.

...who keeps coming back for more? The Adam’s Mark Buffalo has hired five graduates! Thank you to the Adam’s Mark for giving Jennifer Morretto, Joe Horton, Steve Zambito, Yvonne Gilliam, and Pearl Arnold their start in the hospitality industry. The Adam’s Mark in Houston, Texas has begun to follow suit, having hired Pablo Tirado of the 10th graduating class.

...Statler graduate's have been hired by 5-star Ritz Carlton hotel's.

...which state, other than New York, has produced the most Statler graduates? Seven students have traveled to Buffalo from Michigan.