University News

Pictured, in the front row, are DRC Graduate Assistant Eli Van Sickel; DRC student employee Asja Little; Assistant Professor Sarah Schoper; Associate Vice President of Student Services Jason Woods and DRC Learning Specialist Gretchen Steil Weiss. In the back row, from left, are WIU Department of Communication Chair Pete Jorgensen; student Jordan Hanson; communication Instructor Sarah Hill; recreation, park and tourism administration Assistant Professor Megan Owens; DRC student employee Kyra Fair, biology Instructor Tom Vogel; and Disability Support Services Director Tara Buchannan.
[Download Print-Quality Image]

WIU DRC Honors Faculty for Disability Access in the Classroom

April 26, 2018

Share |
Printer friendly version

MACOMB, IL - The Disability Resource Center (DRC) at Western Illinois University celebrated WIU faculty members' contributions to disability access in the classroom at the annual Faculty Appreciation Luncheon and Awards Ceremony Friday, April 20.

According to Gretchen Steil Weiss, DRC learning specialist and coordinator of the event, the luncheon is a way to honor professors who welcome diversity in the classroom.

Faculty members honored this year include communication Instructor Sarah Hill; recreation, park and tourism administration Assistant Professor Megan Owens; biology Instructor Tom Vogel and biological sciences Assistant Professor Catherine Miller-Hunt.

Hill: "Sarah Hill encourages the rest of the students. She makes the classroom setting better so we can feel comfortable giving our speeches to each other without feeling too nervous," said her nominator. "This shows me that she cares about how we do, but also how we are."

Owens: "Dr. Owens as always willing to help students, is kind-hearted and I always look forward to going to her class," said her nominator. "She has met with me one-on-one to discuss how I can continue to make progress throughout the semester. She takes time to build connections."

Vogel: "Thomas Vogel is one of the most passionate instructors I've ever met," said his nominator. "His excitement about science is contagious. I'm currently taking the introductory botany course that he teaches and he makes a very dry subject matter engaging and at times humorous. Personally, he has gone out of his way to try to accommodate my disability. He cares immensely for his students. Whenever I have a question or just stop by his office to say hi or chat, he is always welcoming. He encourages his students to think deep about the subject and always keep an open mind."

Miller-Hunt: "What I liked about Dr. Miller-Hunt is that she truly cares about her students," said her nominator. "She always wants to see us strive and do our best. I believe Dr. Miller-Hunt is very compassionate and a good leader. One example that shows how caring Miller-Hunt is as a professor is how she takes the time to email students who are not doing well in her class and she works with them one-on-one."

"The common theme in these nominations is that of caring--each of these professors cares deeply about the whole student," said DRC Learning Specialist Gretchen Steil Weiss. "Nominees had to meet specific criteria, such as setting a welcoming tone in the classroom partnering to make the accommodation process simple, and demonstrating flexibility. Those are things that can be specific to the DRC accommodation process, but really, each of the criterion apply to the way these professors interact with all of their students--they want students to do well, and they recognize that the potential every student possesses. It's important that we take time to celebrate our faculty who continually strive for inclusivity, and honor the needs of a diverse population, and to see students who want to say thank you."

The event also featured guest speaker educational studies Assistant Professor Sarah Schoper, who talked about her personal experience with an acquired brain injury, and how it impacted the way she looked at inclusive practices in teaching. Schoper was invited because she incorporates disability awareness in her teaching practice and she works to ensure that her classroom is an accessible and inclusive space for all.

The Disability Resource Center is the campus department that consults with faculty on disability access and approves modifications and auxiliary aids that make sure students with disabilities get an equal opportunity to education.

Faculty who would like consultation on accessibility in the classroom or students who experience barriers in the classroom due to disability may contact the DRC at (309) 298-2512 or email disability@wiu.edu.




Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing