Disability Services Fellows

Disability Services Fellows

You can read more about each Fellow on the bios page! [requires login]

Fellows work to amplify a community of peers that collaboratively support a network of accessibility and disability support on campus via shared responsibilities and development. Disability Fellows hope to do this work through positive community events and education opportunities to affirm collective disability and disability-resonant joy and personal growth.

Each year, the group chooses an area to focus on. In 2023-2024, we are highlighting the following four of the 10 Principles of Disability Justice:

• leadership of those most impacted
• commitment to cross-movement organizing
• interdependence
• collective access.

Disability Services Fellows work

Disability Service Fellows (DSF) are student employees that serve as representatives of Disability Services within the broader campus student body. They are supervised by a staff person within Disability Services.

Examples of work and projects, current and past (not an exhaustive list):

• Community-centered, joy-focused events
• Educational presentations and workshops
• Streamlining access to resources
• Broader access concerns across campus, in direct coordination with appropriate offices
• Offering support and guidance via scheduled 1:1 peer connection hours
• Awareness campaigns via social media and postering
• Hosting monthly newsletters
• Researching the needs and desires of the student body in relation to disability culture and access

Contact a Disability Services Fellow

At this time, Fellows, as a group, do not have a consistently open public space on campus.

To contact a Fellow, please fill out this quick feedback and contact form.

Office hours

Fellows host office hours. Log in to my.mtholyoke for most up to date information about how to get in touch or schedule to meet with a Fellow.

During office hours, you can connect with someone about:

Practical support:

• navigating and support with filling out paperwork
• writing emails to reach out to support person(s), faculty
• scheduling appointments
• talking about communication with faculty

Peer connection:

• brainstorming creative problem-solving executive functioning
• collaborative listening around identity, issues, and experiences (non-therapeutic)
• assistance in connecting with campus resources

Please note that Fellows cannot do any of the following:

• Approve or deny accommodations 
• Predict approval or denial of accommodations
• Say whether or not someone’s documentation meets guidelines 
• Accompany students to faculty/student meetings about their accommodations and/or accommodation implementation 
• Provide any legal advice

As employed by College, they must report concerns about behavior of harm to self or others to their supervisor.