National Disability Center for Student Success

📢 Share Your Experience and Make an Impact! 📢 The National Disability Center is interviewing disabled students in higher education to better understand and improve accessibility on campuses nationwide. 🏫 Your voice matters! Participate in a 1-hour interview, share your experiences, and help shape the future of higher ed. Plus, get a $35 gift card as a thank you! 🎁 Sign up now and be part of the change: https://lnkd.in/dAWR3ekE Together, we can make a difference. ✨ #disabilityawareness #disability #highereducation #Accessibility #CollegeStudents #tradeschool #trainingprograms [ID: Promo features a cheerful African American woman with brown curly hair and glasses, sitting at a desk with a laptop, notepads, and a pink mug. She is wearing a white shirt and using American Sign Language (ASL) to sign the word "MEET," indicating a welcoming and inclusive environment. The background is a dark blue color with lighter blue accents, and there is a call-to-action message that reads: "Share Your Experience and Make an Impact – Join the National Disability Center for an Interview!" Below this, in a blue paintbrush-style background, is the text: "Submit Pre-Screen Today." In the bottom right corner, there is a logo that appears to represent the National Disability Center Graphic Logo of a icon with thick dark blue line that loops in a circle in the middle and curves down and upward at each end. Above the line are four dark green spear-shaped leaves arranged in an arc over the loop.]

Desiree Lama, Coordinator of Student Partnerships at the National Disability Center, shares their journey in Multiple Sclerosis News Today. As a doctoral student at the The University of Texas at Austin, she explores how race, gender, and disability status intersect, affecting queer, disabled students of color. Living with multiple sclerosis for almost a decade, she has firsthand experiences that drives her research and advocacy. Their insights highlight the importance of language and dismantling ableism to create inclusive environments. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gyi3dGD6 #Disability #Intersectionality #Ableism #HigherEducation [ID: A graphic with a cartoonish purple night sky with white stars and white crescent moon. In front of that is green evergreen trees and includes illustrations of light greenery and small yellow, purple light blue and red flowers, adding a vibrant touch to the design. A top of that is a light purple abstract shape with text In the center, the text reads "AUTHENTICALLY HUMAN" in bold white letters. Below this, in smaller text, it says "Desiree Lama."]

The College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin is hosting "A Snapshot of LGBTQ+ Research Efforts in Education" featuring Dr. Alison Kafer, a valued faculty cadre member of the National Disability Center.  Register: https://lnkd.in/g2XaD--T 🗓️ Event Details: Date: Jun 25, 2024 Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (CST) Location: Cissy McDaniel Parker Dean’s Conference Room Note: Lunch will be provided. Dr. Alison Kafer, Associate Professor and Chair of LGBTQ Studies at UT Austin, will share how her work translates to increased community engagement and awareness. #LGBTQResearch #InclusiveEducation #PRIDE #UTAustin [ID: A promotional graphic with white text at the top that says "CELEBRATING PRIDE: A Snapshot of LGBTQ+ Research Efforts in Education." The word "PRIDE" features a rainbow pattern of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The panelists listed are Ryan Dillon, Dr. Alison Kafer, and Gabriel Rodriguez Lemus, Jr. In the bottom left corner, there is a photo of Dr. Alison Kafer with a label over it. She has short, curly, light brown hair and is wearing tortoise glasses and a light blue shirt with dark blue and white specks. She is looking slightly to the side and smiling. The label in the orange box reads "Dr. Alison Kafer." The background of the graphic is burnt orange with a slight wave pattern in various shades of orange.]

After months on Zoom, today we gathered in person to collaborate and connect! Members from every team — Student Fellows, Faculty Cadre, Leadership, Evaluation, and Communication — were represented at an All Hands meeting to dive into data, review Year 1 milestones, and plan for an exciting Year 2. We can’t wait for what’s ahead in research, online learning, and community building! [ID: A diverse group of 13 people and one guide dog are in a college classroom, surrounding a vertical banner that reads “Millions of disabled students want to succeed”]

Joining other top education experts from around the nation, Executive Director Dr. Stephanie Cawthon will lead a panel session about #ASL as an accommodation at the 2024 National Conference on Student Assessment (NCSA). NCSA is organized by the Council of Chief State School Officers for the exchange of best practices and research findings to aid U.S. states in implementing high-quality assessments and robust accountability systems that can lead to better outcomes for all students. https://lnkd.in/gcPgEg5s #NCSA24 #EdResearch

Hot topics at our inaugural Townhall last month: The lack of #disability disclosure by students on campus, gaps in ADA access and true access, some students not knowing they are disabled, and — according to our event survey — reducing ableism. Get the full wrap-up: https://lnkd.in/gh9jbFw3 #HigherEd #EdResearch

Meet Ryan A. Mata, M.A. (he/him), our newly appointed Doctoral Research Affiliate at the National Disability Center!  Here's how his work as a standout doctoral student at The College of Education at The University of Texas at Austin is making a difference: 🔍 Researching how to make #HigherEducation more #Accessible for disabled students. 🖊 Preparing co-authored studies on parent-adolescent conversations. 💻 Reviewing disabled student experiences with #OnlineLearning during COVID-19. Learn more about what Ryan is up to in our latest blog post here: https://lnkd.in/gmi_GWUc. [ID: A portrait of Ryan Mata looking at the camera and smiling. He has short, curly brown hair and a short, brown beard. He is wearing a blue plaid blazer over a white dress shirt. He has a small pin in the shape of a longhorn on his blazer's left lapel. The background is dark, creating a professional and formal look for the headshot.]

From research awards to new appointments, our Student Fellows and Faculty Cadre give us a lot to celebrate! Team Accolades | Spring 2024: https://lnkd.in/g_MruZiW #EdResearch #Disability [Image description: A square composed of nine squares, with a National Disability Center for Student Success logo in the center square, surrounded by 8 squares of headshots of 8 people (3 men and 5 women) of various races, ethnicities, and ages.]

Children's Hospital Colorado has invited Executive Director Dr. Stephanie Cawthon to present at its Child Mental Health Annual Training Meeting and their Pediatric Mental Health Grand Rounds tomorrow — to provide interdisciplinary findings and insights on disability research to their medical faculty and staff. #DisabilityResearch #MentalHealth #PostsecondaryEducation

We are thrilled to welcome Mytra Berry as our new Digital Marketing Manager! Mytra brings a wealth of marketing expertise, a passion for inclusive outreach, and a commitment to accessibility and advocacy. “Her questions, insights, and approaches bring out the very best in those around her,” said Executive Director Dr. Stephanie Cawthon. “I’m so grateful and excited to welcome Mytra to our team at the National Disability Center.” Image description: Smiling Black woman with long black hair, wearing a beige blazer and black top against a white background.