By: Samantha Cohen
Every October, the President’s Commission on Disability Issues organizes Disability Awareness Month, hosting events and activities throughout campus. To kick off the month, The Disability Inclusion Resource Fair took place in the Adele H. Stamp Student Union on Oct. 1.
The fair served as an opportunity for on-campus services, academic programs and smaller clubs to educate students with disabilities about available resources.
Katherine Brown, a junior computer science major and disabilities studies minor, tabled for the Queers with Disabilities Club at the fair. This space is designed for students who are a part of both the disability and queer community to share their experiences.
“There are distinct oppressions, marginalizations and expectations of someone who is at both [communities] because there are expectations that you’re going to act a certain way if you’re disabled, there are expectations that you’re going to act a certain way if you’re queer, but that [doesn’t] make sense together,” Brown said.
Brown said many students are unaware that a space like this exists on campus, so the fair increased the club’s visibility.
Another program displayed at the fair included TerpsEXCEED, a two-year certificate program for students with intellectual disabilities.
Students in the program live on campus and take at least 12 credits each semester, according to Director of TerpsEXCEED Amy D’Agati. In turn, they create bonds with their peer mentors and integrate into the college experience.
“TerpsEXCEED is really important because we’re giving students a chance at something they didn’t have a chance at before,” Eva Clifford, a junior psychology major and TerpsEXCEED peer mentor, said.
According to Associate Director of TerpsEXCEED Meredith Gramlich, the program started three years ago with only two students. Today, there are 15 students and 136 peer mentors and counting.
Peer mentors are trained and certified to support the students academically and socially, through a three-credit general education course titled “Peer Mentor Training and Certification,” or EDSP311.
“Anyone who participates in the program whether they’re a student or a peer mentor, they leave with stronger bonds with their community, they leave with better skills,” Clifford said.
D’Agati emphasizes the importance of letting peer mentors guide the events and activities since their generation grew up attending school with students with special needs or intellectual disabilities. While growing up, school was always separated by those with and without special needs, D’Agati said.
“This whole cadre of peer mentors are going to go out into the world, recognizing that everybody has a place, so we’re really proud of this model of social inclusion,” Gramlich said.
Gramlich teaches the peer mentor course and highlights how the classes’ core subjects attract students across all majors.
“They’re expressing that this has been one of the best experiences of their college career,” Gramlich said.
The students echo similar sentiments about their experience with the program.
“What I like about TerpsEXCEED is meeting new people,” TerpsEXCEED student Juan Campero said. “Having fun, doing different things, playing video games, going bowling, doing outdoor stuff and having a blast.”
While this month is dedicated to disability awareness, inclusion exceeds far beyond Oct. 31.
“I love that there’s a month that highlights [disability awareness], and we always try to be involved … we like to take it through the whole year,” D’Agati said.
Featured Image: TerpsEXCEED students at the Disability Inclusion Resources Fair on Oct. 1. Photo by Samantha Cohen.