September 26, 2006 issue
I had my first encounter with Eastern Michigan while I was working at
Wayne State. I visited EMU to attend a lecture by Morris Dees from the
Southern Poverty Law Center and was very impressed by the speaker and
the people that I met. It made me want to work here. Later, while working
for Washtenaw County, I saw a job posting on Eastern's Web page. I applied
and began work here in June 2002.
My job is part of the strategic plan to be a model of inclusion and accessibility.
Access Services assists students with disabilities, anything that fits
the legal definition of substantial limitation. This could be a physical,
emotional or even learning disability. We make sure that students receive
the appropriate accommodations and are offered an equal opportunity to
succeed, whether it's in academics or extracurricular activities.
I love EMU's students. They continually inspire me. Students have a good
chance of succeeding here. We have the most supportive
staff and cooperative faculty that I've worked with.
When I was in college, programs like this didn't exist. I broke my neck
in a diving accident at the age of 14, so I know some of the problems
that disabled college students face. I first got involved in accessibility
as an undergraduate on the student government. Huge changes have taken
place since then, and it's great to see how far we've come.
Eastern is a great place to work. I always feel welcome and included.
It's like a family here. I couldn't ask for a better situation.
Outside organizations look to us as a national model of
inclusion and accessibility. In fact, the show "Disabilities Today" on
PBS profiled EMU. We are a dedicated campus
that continues to enhance its programs and services.
