We appreciate Mr. Jervis doing this interview with Equal Opportunities for Students. As the disability services coordinator, he has a lot to share in his Food for Thought interview.
You can see his interview here.
He is in charge of disability services at Penn State University Park. Many students with disabilities come to college and struggle, because they don’t know how to get accommodations for themselves, or don’t come forward with their disability until around their fourth semester in college. College students with disabilities also often feel alone on campus; most students with disabilities don’t know other students who are going through, or have faced similar difficulties. This makes the difficult transition to college even harder. Making sure students with disabilities know where to go for their accommodations, and don’t feel isolated on campus is important to making sure students have the best education options possible. How would you help students come to disability services before the fourth semester of their sophomore year? How would you help students with disabilities feel less isolated on campus?