Part 1/3 - Transitioning to college for students with disabilities - An mu perspective

[Mizzou Fight Song playing] [Barb Hammer, Director of] [The Office of Disability Services] Hello. I'm Barb Hammer, [Barb Hammer, Director of] [The Office of Disability Services] the Director of the Office of Disability Services, [Barb Hammer, Director of] [The Office of Disability Services] a proud member of the Division of Student Affairs. We are the office on campus that supports students with disabilities by identifying, coordinating and providing reasonable accommodations necessary for full access. We encourage self determination on the part of the students with whom we work and we believe in and actively support a learning environment that is disability friendly. We are centrally located on campus, here in the South Wing of Memorial Union, near Ellis Library and the Student Success Center. Outside our entrance we have a bulletin board which we use to share information about events that occur on campus and to highlight individual student achievement. for example earlier this year we displayed a collage of photos from a student who studied abroad in Japan last year. In our office we have space for students to read and study. Scattered about you will see artwork by students with disabilities, posters and flyers advertising programs and services, and other information that may be of interest. You will also find four private exam rooms; lots of students take accommodated exams in here. There are six of us who work full time in Disability Services, but we also employ a whole lot of students part time. We couldn’t do our jobs without the help of our student employees. They work as exam proctors, [Jessi Keenoy [Coordinator of Student Services] class or lab assistants, [Jessi Keenoy [Coordinator of Student Services] or office assistants. [Jessi Keenoy] [Coordinator of Student Services] Consider talking with us about opportunities for employment, [Matt Buckley] [Coordinator of Student Services] Consider talking with us about opportunities for employment, [Matt Buckley] [Coordinator of Student Services] if you think you will need to work while you are here on campus. [Mary Borman] [Special Needs Advisor] We also have a part time graduate assistant. [Mary Borman] [Special Needs Advisor] As a doctoral student in counseling psychology he can provide [Ashley McGee, Special Needs Advisor] [for Exam Accommodations] As a doctoral student in counseling psychology he can provide [Ashley McGee, Special Needs Advisor] [for Exam Accommodations] individualized counseling for students in a variety of areas. [Dayla Botts] [Administrative Assistant] individualized counseling for students in a variety of areas. [Dayla Botts] [Administrative Assistant] He has also started a series of workshops for students on topics such as [David Shwalb] [Graduate Assistant] He has also started a series of workshops for students on topics such as [David Shwalb] [Graduate Assistant] reading and study skills, stress management, and test anxiety. In the fall of 2008, over 480 students registered with disability services. You are not alone. Most of those students have ADD, or learning disabilities, but students also register because of psychological disabilities, health related concerns, mobility disabilities, and sensory disabilities. Students majors run the gamut from biological engineering to theatre to journalism and everything in between, and that includes law, medicine, and veterinary medicine. Arranging for and using accommodations in college is a very different experience than it is in high school. Planning ahead and realizing that you are responsible is really important. If you think you should register with disability services, take care of it as early as possible. Summer Welcome is a great time to visit but you can take care of it even earlier than that. Give us a call. Send us an email. We’re here. And remember as you transition from high school to college: you will have a lot to learn, but you’ve made a great choice in Mizzou. Make the decision to get to know us and to make use of the resources you have at hand. This is a great place to be for everyone. [Kelly Brophy] [MU Student] Hi! My name is Kelly Brophy [Kelly Brophy] [MU Student] and I am an accounting major from Houston, Texas. [Kelly Brophy] [MU Student] I also have a hearing and learning disability and am registered with the Office of Disability Services here at Mizzou. Finally coming to Mizzou can be very exciting, but it also may be stressful as you transition from high school to college, especially with a disability. You will find that college is very different from high school. You will have more free time instead of going to classes all day every day, but this new found free time can be a great way to get involved with different clubs and organizations at Mizzou that interest you. I know that I came to Mizzou not knowing anyone, but after getting involved with many organizations, I always see a familiar face on campus. So go to class, get involved, and make new friends, because this makes being away from your high school friends and family easier. Living in a residence hall can also be a stressful time as well. Don’t expect the worst when it comes to roommate situations, because this is where you build lifelong friendships from college at Mizzou. I know that I went to Mizzou, lived in Jones hall my Freshman year, and I decided to live with a random roommate and we are still friends today. So leave your door open and always say hi to the people in your halls especially your residence hall staff and peer advisor. You peer advisors and the residence hall staff are committed to helping you succeed in your classes, especially if you encounter difficulties with your disability. So don’t be afraid to knock on their door and ask for help. You will also find that your class structure will be different in college than it is in high school, but the teachers at Mizzou are very accommodating to all students. A great piece of advice is to introduce yourself to each professor at the beginning of every semester, let them know about your disability and how they can help you succeed in their class. You will find that building relationships like this with your professors will help you tremendously throughout your college life. You may also be very nervous about your disability, especially when it comes to your academic life, but this is why the Office of Disability Services is here to help you in whatever you need. You will also find out quickly that they are very committed to your success here at Mizzou. If you fully utilize the accommodations you receive, you will see your grades reflect the effort that you put into it. My favorite accommodation that I have received from the Office of Disability Services is having free one on one tutoring provided through the student success center. I highly recommend that you sign up for all your classes for tutoring at the student success center every semester. As you can tell college is very different from high school but it is also the best time of your life. Having a disability in college will never be an issue if you use the resources you are given and never be afraid to ask for help.