Disability awareness takes over October

Disability+awareness+takes+over+October

On Oct. 3 the Downtown Milwaukee campus Student Accommodation Services center kicked off  “disAbility Awareness Month.” There are a variety of events to spread awareness to students, faculty and staff.

Cynthia Walker, Student Services specialist for advising deaf and hard of hearing, stated, “Really I’m gearing [this] at the students at MATC who have a disability, and are making sure that they understand that there are resources to support what other needs they have.” 

Walker continued, “disAbility Awareness month was put into place to help bring awareness, resources and knowledge to students here at MATC whom have a disability of some sort. I started out wanting to do deaf awareness month, but we decided to do disabilities awareness month because we wanted to target all individuals with disabilities.”

Walker stated, “This is for them, although I have a disability; I was born deaf. So I know how important it is.”

Having a bachelor’s degree in Adult Education from UW-Milwaukee, and currently pursuing her master’s in Administrative Leadership, Walker references her educational life (even including a few years at MATC as a student) as being part of her inspiration to organize this month’s events.

“Everything I have gone through as a student taught me a lot and what I was missing because people weren’t telling me what I needed,” stated Walker. She pointed out that many students do not or are not prepared to attend college because they feel they are not academically prepared or lack information, knowledge and guidance that preps them for enrollment. Sometimes a sense of feeling out of place is why some students fail to enroll.

“It’s important that we remind individuals that we be cautious and friendly to individuals who have a disability because it doesn’t mean that they’re less of a person than you are. We must help and make students with disabilities feel a part of our community here at MATC and outside of it, in order to help them obtain reachable goals,” said Walker. 

This is why the themes of the month vary. The goal is to have events Monday through Thursday throughout the month of October, with each week carrying a different theme.

Week one was about employment resources. Week two helps with classroom/campus resources. The third week is to emphasize community resources and week four stresses “socializing disAbilities.”

Different days present changing subjects. Tim Young, the president and owner of Assure Consulting and Employment Services LLC, and a director of Pinnacle Men’s Services for Convergent Resources, spoke about his presentation on job attainment.

Young stated, “I teach people with disabilities how to get and keep jobs. I teach them soft skills, employment training, resume development, cover letters, things like that.” He discussed how to apply for jobs, how to do interviews, and how to follow up with potential employers. “My goal and job is to support the students because the students here will have a dual obstacle,” said Young.

Although this is Young’s and Walker’s first time for being involved in these activities, you can sense the passion of their efforts. Walker hopes to have events like this in the future and to hopefully expand it.

Walker mentioned that throughout the month they will cover topics such as voting, utilizing counselors and tutors on campus, and overall success in school and life. She hopes to see more students becoming involved, and pointed out upcoming dates that she recommends students attend.

One is Oct. 26, when there will be another guest in attendance and “Minute-to-Win-It Challenges” with a wide array of challenges taking place for students to get involved in, learn and have a good time.

For more information stop by Room C219 or email Cynthia Walker, [email protected] or Shiquise Davis, [email protected].