The Disabled Students Center will be open from 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday–Friday on the second floor of the Washington Building .
The DSC is open for this upcoming school year and is already having meetings for students who wish to join.
“We had our first meeting last week, and it was really awesome. There was a lot of people I got to connect with.” said Monroe Amos, sophomore psychology and sociology major and Compass mentor.
Amos said he believes the DSC creates a great community amongst students.
“It’s a space for [students] to come and hang out and find their community,” said DSC coordinator Michael Solomon. “It’s really a fun space.”
Solomon said students can come study, decompress and meet others while finding their community. There are a lot of events planned for the DSC, with one example being an event where there will be dogs for students to come pet to help relieve stress before exams start, although dates are still being decided on for events.
Solomon said the purpose of the DSC is to provide an institutional space for students with disabilities to feel safe, supported and affirmed. This space will also add to the campus climate by promoting diversity and inclusion and ultimately increase the visibility of historically marginalized people.
“It’s just a place where they might find comfort or the ability to speak about their challenges,” Solomon said.
The DSC also plans to work with the Academic Success and Career Center to help students with their school work or study for exams, Solomon said. There are many other planned social events the DSC plans to host.
The DSC is a resource for students with any disability to come and find a support system or make friends, Solomon said. It is open to any student who may have a disability of any kind.
Alexis Kruger, senior psychology major and DSC assistant coordinator, said one doesn’t need to be diagnosed with a disability to join and support other students. Being an ally involves being present for other students to help them with their struggles or being there as a support system.
