What you should know about the Disability Resource Center

College can be an exciting time in someone’s life that is spent not only on learning about your future career, but also about yourself. However, these years can be stressful and difficult for some. One place where students can seek aid is the Disability Resource Center.

“The DRC is able to provide a safe space for students to discuss their disability related concerns. We are sometimes the first opportunity some students have to explore this part of their identity and communicate about it with the University,” said Stephen Loynaz, the access consultant manager of the Disability Resource Center.

Although not spoken about often, the DRC at FIU is a welcoming place with various resources and services to help students throughout their college career. Some of these resources and services are reasonable attendance accommodation, informal/formal academic grievances, and even seeking a resolution with the U. S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights if no other resolution presents itself.

In the Modesto Maidique Campus, the DRC can be found on the first floor of GC, and in the Biscayne Bay Campus, it can be found on the first floor of the Wolfe University Center.

One valuable resource provided by the DRC is the state-of-the-art assistive technology computer facility. The facility has both PC and Macintosh products, as well as study tables, scanners, wireless capabilities and printing. The purpose of the lab is to support student’s coursework, as well as serve as a product demonstration and training facility for students, faculty and staff. This means that if a student were interested in making a purchase, they could visit the lab prior to assure their decision.

The DRC also aids students financially by providing a multitude of scholarships, which over 30 students are granted each year. Some of these include the Dr. Fareed Haj Scholarship Endowment, which supports scholarships for undergraduate and graduate students who are blind or visually impaired, and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation, whose mission is to aid disadvantaged people to obtain an education.

However, it should be noted that the DRC’s resources and services are not limited only to students attending school physically. If a fully online student with a disability wants to seek out the DRC, they can get connected via phone or email to schedule a welcome appointment. If students would like to interact with the DRC this semester in a less official manner, a special workshop is going to be held later this semester.

“We are hosting our semester Focus on Success Workshop,” explained Loynaz, “we are going to be focusing on Career Development and Victim Empowerment. We are partnering with our colleagues to bring forth an engaging presentation that will help shed light on some of the major points students should be aware of regarding their careers and relationships.”

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