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John Miller is a former graduate student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Division of Rehabilitation Counseling and Psychology. In this narrative, John tells us of his personal experiences as a blind college student.
Blind College Life by John Miller
My college experience as a blind individual has been both challenging and full of opportunities for personal growth. In this article, I will attempt to summarize some of the main issues I encountered, as well as the more positive occurrences therein. I will also make recommendations that I think may help other blind and low-vision students as they matriculate, and that will hopefully have wider utility for persons from many different ability levels.
Some of the challenges I had to deal with arose almost immediately on arrival. During my first year, I was hesitant to speak up for myself and to inform those around me of my real needs.
My mom wanted me to get a feeling for what it would be like sitting in the area just outside of my dormitory. There was, as in many college settings, a type of quad full of people playing sports, reading, or otherwise lounging.
She’d taken me to a wall where I could sit for a while. “Ok, I’m going to leave,” she informed me. “But before I do, I want to be sure you know where you are”.
“Yes I do,” I responded, even though I couldn’t quite map back to my prior location in my head. I was being entrusted with the great and weighty burden of establishing independence, after all, and I certainly didn’t want to look incapable right out of the gate.
Despite my immediate academic achievements, I managed 3 A’s and a B that first semester, my lack of assertiveness continued to cause problems. In the second semester, for example, I actually completed all of the assignments for one of my classes but had run out of printer paper. All I needed to do to rectify that situation was place a call to the Office of Disability Services, but my mouth would go dry at the prospect of admitting that I required assistance.
Because I had gotten off to such a good start in that class, the fact that I turned in none of the work for the second half meant only that I received a C. This lack of potential on my part was met with the consternation of many of my supporters.
Armed with an understanding of the adjustment issues inherent in taking on the new social role as college student, I later served as a mentor, through the Office of Disability Services, to other incoming undergraduate students who had indicated a desire for such a service. In this capacity, I would call the individual with whom I had been paired at least once a week to inquire about needs, study habits, socialization with peers in the dorm and classroom setting, etc. I believe this to be one of the most important things I accomplished while there, as it not only helped strengthen my own confidence, but also resulted in a clear improvement in grades pre and post intervention with my mentee.
Other than serving as a mentor though, I failed to do nearly enough extra-curricular activity to really benefit. As occurs too often not only among persons with disabilities but many who feel they are not part of the “in-crowd,” I contented myself with going to class, coming back to my room, studying, eating, and going to sleep. Many organizations tried to get me to come onboard, but I was too shy and unable to see how I might clearly fit in.
Having the perspective of entering the job market post graduation, I now know that this failure to network was a critical error. I certainly am not denying the importance of having a solid academic standing, but if one completes his or studies and has few if any connections then securing desirable employment is going to be a lot more difficult. This is true whether or not one has a disability, but it is particularly so for the former as we must also overcome the perception of inability to perform basic job tasks. Much of this is done simply by letting others know that we exist and are functioning at a high level in society.
So if asked what my most stringent recommendation would be: network, network, and network. Be sure to become part of any clubs and other campus organizations you can, while of course finding that healthy balance. When you arrive on campus, see if you can find a mentor. Then, of course, extend your hand back to mentor others once you are firmly established. Most of all enjoy the experience!
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Nika Pendleton is a Junior at Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge who is majoring in Psychology. Nika describes her experience and challenges as a student with a disability on LSU’s campus and compares it with her prior experience as a student at the Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC).
Hi my name is Nika Pendleton. I am a Psychology Junior. I transferred from BRCC [Baton Rouge Community College] about two years ago. Coming from BRCC to LSU [Louisiana State University] was a challenge because over at BRCC they were much more accommodating because they have newer buildings than over here at LSU.
Some of the challenges that I’ve had while being at LSU have to do with getting desks put in my classrooms and for when I couldn’t get my desks in my room, I emailed my disability counselor and he eventually would email me back and the desks would never get put in my room but now eventually he stopped emailing me. So my Dad works over in Facilities Services so I emailed him and he had the desks put in for me.
Being at LSU has definitely been a challenge. Some of the challenges that I’ve faced is getting desks in my room, in my classrooms that I need and this past semester I took a class with a lab with it which was in the Ag. [Agriculture] Administration Building which was in the basement and I couldn’t even get into the building at all. So they had to move me into Disability Services and that took about a month and a half.
Even though I’ve faced, even though these problems come up, I really really love being at LSU. And my message to anybody with a disability is that if you really want to do something and you face the obstacle of your disability, don’t let that get in the way because if you really put your mind to it you can do anything you want. Don’t listen to people who tell you, you can’t do it.
Jose Reynaldo Martínez Fernandez: Freshman student at University of Puerto Rico – Rio Piedras campus.Estudiante autista de la Universidad de Puerto Rico en Rio Piedras.
“Hola soy José Reynaldo Martínez Fernández Yo estudio aquí en la Universidad de Puerto Rico una tremenda Universidad, la mejor que hay por lo menos en la isla. Mi clase favorita por ahora es hasta ahora la historia de Estados Unidos. Ahora, uno de los Problemas que estoy teniendo es que a veces soy un poquito, tengo a veces descontrolamiento sobre mi, en mis reacciones a ciertas estudiantes femeninas que hay aquí. Por ejemplo hubo quejas de que cosas impropias que le hago a estudiantes y yo quisiera saber a buscar la manera de parar eso. Yo no quiero problemas con nadie en esta universidad, con nadie, con nadie. (Y te gusta mucho la Universidad Pepe?)Claro que me gusta la universidad es una maravilla, lo único que necesito es este controlar mis reacciones a las chicas aquí, las chicas de mi gusto. (Y aquí te dan apoyo en la universidad, los profesores, los estudiantes? Yo cojo todo el apoyo que necesito. Especialmente de esta joven Morayma García, que lleva diez anos en la Universidad. (OK. Y ella estudia contigo en las mismas clases?) Bueno ella intenta de dejarme solo en cualquier clase, aunque de vez en cuando me deja con su amiga Gizelle Rodríguez (Y la Universidad te puso en contacto con Morayma, o tu mama? No, fue Morayma que fue responsable por mi pasión a la Universidad? No, Fue Morayma que fue responsable por mi pasión por la Universidad. Yo he conocido a Morayma hace cuatro años, 4 no, 3 creo que son 3 años que conozco a Morayma, desde el 2006, y ella me está ayudado en todo lo que en todo para no tener ningún problemas aquí en la Universidad. (Cuando tu vas a las clases tú tienes a alguien que toma notas por ti o tu..) a veces yo tengo y a veces yo escribo y a veces Giselle me anota lo que (lo que dan en la clase). Si. (Mira y aquí en la Universidad tu trabajas?) Yo trabajo pero no en el Recinto de Rio Piedras yo trabajo en una división que se llama Filius donde tienen una oficina que se llama la Asistencia Tecnológica de Puerto Rico o por sus siglas en Inglés le llaman el PRAT el Yo lo que hago es este archivar ciertos documentos que hubo sobre las evaluaciones y también este de vez en cuando yo hago ciertas cosas de entretener a los niños chiquitos como por ejemplo grabar ciertos libros, libros de libros infantiles y de videos de libros infantiles o libros de niños, de niños de ciertos niños con impedimentos como de 7 a 10 como Kung Fu Panda. (OK y entonces tu trabajas con el grupo en Puerto Rico de Assistive Technology) . Ese mismo. (OK. Y ahí hay muchas personas trabajando ahí). Unas cuantas, no muchas pero unas cuantas, unas cuantas personas trabajan ahí. Hay unas cuantas personas, No más de 20, pero. (Y tu trabajas ahí todos los días?) No. Yo solamente trabajo los lunes y los viernes. (Vas todo el día o unas cuantas horas?)Bueno voy este, voy casi todo el día. (Y que te gusta más, trabajar o estudiar) Yo te diría que… Me gusta mucho trabajar. Ahora estudiar eso todo depende de la clase, eso depende de la clase de si me gusta la clase o no. (Cuál es la clase más difícil para ti) Bueno yo te diría que literatura en Ingles. Claro Yo hablo bien fluente el idioma. Yo sé leer muy bien el idioma. Para mí lo que está difícil es la teoría que enseña esta profesora. (Ajah es gramática o es este literatura inglesa, los figures of speech?) Hablo bien el idioma. Lo que es difícil es este que tengo que estar escribiendo cosas que la profesora pide no lo que pienso yo. (Oh)”
Michael McGonigal: Sophomore student at Juniata College in Huntingdon Pennsylvania.Juniata College student speaking about his experience with Attention Deficit Disorder.
Transcript
“My name is Michael McGonigal and I am 19 years old and I am a Freshman here at Juniata College. My program of emphasis is Biology, and my future profession I hope to be a doctor. I will be planning on applying to medical school. I was in sophomore year of high school when I was first diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder. The teachers at my school were very understanding and helpful, they made it a lot, they were very accommodating, they allowed me extra time on tests if I couldn’t finish. I received a whole bunch of support and encouragement from my teachers and they were more than willing to help me with anything I ever needed. Coming to Juniata College I made a lot of friends. I believe that the social interactions here are much different than they were in high school, thethere is a whole lot less cliques. I believe that, I do believe that support services and accommodations might be very helpful to people with the same disability as me. I do know that the school is very, very, understanding and does have a good support service for my certain disability and I also might benefit from a network of people and students that could get together and the school would be able to help us all at the same time with accommodations or I also I chose not to so far Ive not disclosed my disability to the school. It was in my entrance essay to the college but I have not made any formal plans or official notices to the college of my disability, and that was a personal choice that I just decided I didnt think Id need it. So I just decided to battle through it on my own.”
“Mi nombre es Michael McGonigal y tengo 19 años, y soy un estudiante universitario de primer año de Juniata College. Mi programa de énfasis es biología y espero que mi futura profesión sea la práctica médica.
Yo espero solicitar admisión a la escuela de medicina. Fue en la escuela superior cuando se me diagnosticó por primera vez la condición del Desorden de Déficit de Atención. Las maestras de mi escuela superior fueron muy comprensivas y dispuestas a ayudarme. Ellas me acomodaron y lo hicieron todo mucho más [llevadero]. Ellas me daban tiempo adicional en los exámenes si yo no los podía terminar. Yo recibí mucha ayuda y comprensión de mis maestras y siempre estuvieron más que dispuestas a ayudar con cualquier cosa que yo necesitase. Cuando llegué a Juniata College hice muchos amigos. Yo creo que la interacción social aquí es bien distinta a la de la escuela superior, aquí hay menos cliques.
Yo creo que los servicios de apoyo y los acomodos podrían ser de mucha ayuda a personas con mi misma discapacidad. Yo sé que mi escuela es muy, muy comprensiva y tiene buenos servicios de apoyo para mi discapacidad. Yo también podría beneficiarme de una red de apoyo de personas y estudiantes, que juntos y con la escuela, podrían ayudarnos a todos a la misma vez con acomodos. Yo también, yo escogí no revelar mi discapacidad a la universidad. Fue en mi ensayo de admisión a la universidad, pero no he hecho planes formales ni notificación oficial a la universidad de mi discapacidad, y esa fue una decisión personal que yo hice, que yo decidí yo no necesitaba [el acomodo] y decidí que yo iba a combatir la situación por mi mismo.”
