Accessibility comes in many forms. People with physical disabilities must constantly be aware of how they can or cannot access certain buildings. On Samford’s campus, many of the buildings still lack proper accessibility points because of the historic nature of their construction.
Though physical disabilities can sometimes be the most obvious, they are not the only ones that deserve awareness. The Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (OAA) identifies four different categories under which students with disabilities can register: cognitive, medical, sensory/mobility and psychiatric. All of these categories are equally important to prioritize and raise awareness for. About 13% of Samford students are registered with the OAA, representing over 100 various disability diagnoses.
IMPACT coordinator and clinical intern for OAA Christy Chery is working to incorporate accessibility and disability awareness as part of diversity on Samford’s campus.
“Building awareness is a big part of what we try to do because there are some folks that believe people with disabilities just don’t exist here,” Chery said.
Though the OAA is widely known as a primarily academic resource for students, it is also there to assist with student activities and other areas of college life as well.
“Students deserve to have access to not only education but also the fullness of the college experience and that includes social activities, that includes convo, that includes all of these important aspects of what it means to be a college student, and more specifically here, a Samford student,” Chery said.
She acknowledged that working to raise awareness for accessibility is not only about promoting information and changing misconceptions, but also changing one’s own thoughts to be more open and aware.
“As someone who’s been doing diversity work for a long time, I acknowledge that diversity work is personal work, and so there’s something really important about doing this work that requires us to be vulnerable, to be open, to be humble,” Chery said. “You cannot promote accessibility if you’re not also taking accountability personally and in the greater community.”
Through her role at the OAA, Chery hopes to increase acceptance and inclusivity on Samford’s campus so there is a safe place for all students who choose this university as their home.
“When I first came to Samford, from a perspective of being a black woman, I [thought] ‘I really want Samford to look more like Heaven.’ We have such a great opportunity as a Christain university to prioritize the things that I think are on God’s mind and heart,” she said. “I want to make spaces; I want to tread paths so that folks feel like they can belong, and there are so many ways that we can make that happen.”
Kate Hultquist, another graduate clinical intern for the OAA, is also dedicated to improving campus lifestyle for individuals with disabilities, no matter the type or nature. One way that Hultquist does so is through addressing the culture around disability.
“Accessibility goes beyond the environment, it goes into the attitudes, the policies, it goes far beyond the physical,” Hultquist said. “While the physical environment does impact students and their experience, it’s also important to address the culture that’s at play because it carries momentum and can move things forward.”
In spring of 2022, Hultquist led an OAA cadre called “Accessible Christianity” that focused specifically on accessibility and disability in the church and how the atmosphere around them can be improved.
“It was really encouraging to see staff, faculty, students all coming together in the same space and being able to learn more. I think they’re walking away holding more than just knowledge,” Hultquist shared.
She plans on continuing with the second part of the “Accessible Christianity” cadre this coming spring in the hopes of continuing to raise awareness around accessibility in the church.
Anyone who wishes to report a campus accessibility limitation or find out more information can check out the OAA website at https://www.samford.edu/departments/disability-resources/.
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