Programs and Events

Disability Services' Semester Refresher Virtual Drop-In Sessions

Disability Services helps students who are registered with our office to navigate the accommodation process and assist them with guidance during a 30 minute virtual Semester Refresher drop-in session at the start of every semester. Below are some of the topics we discuss:

• Processing semester requests at the start of the semester
• Accommodation letters to and communication with Instructors
• Staying connected with Disability Services
• Testing Center scheduling

Join us and meet our Peer Coaches at one of the sessions below.Ìý You do not need to stay for the full session:

Note: You may be in zoom sessions with other UMass Lowell (UML) students registered with Disability Services

Students needing accommodations for any of these sessions, please contact Disability Services via email: disability@uml.edu at least a week before the session date.

Faculty and Staff

To Learn more and to register for upcoming training sessions, please visit the Employee Learning, Engagement & Development Diversity and Inclusion webpage.

• Access Ally Training Part I - General Topics
  Review ways to create an inclusive environment using universal design to improve outcomes for all. Attending Parts I and II of this training is required for the Diversity Certificate.
  
  
• Access Ally Training Part II - Technology
  Learn to use technology to create accessible documents/material to incorporate accessibility for all. Attending Parts I and II of this training is required for the Diversity Certificate.

Stories of Disability

A huge amount of gratitude to the bravery and vulnerability shared by our storytellers:

Our events are aimed to raise awareness, reduce stigma and provide space for students, faculty and staff to celebrate disability. In collaboration with the Office of Multicultural Affairs, Ashleigh Hillier, Campus Recreation Center Staff, Student Life and Wellbeing Office and the Disability Advisory Committee.

View the

Past Issues

Disability Dish

Listen to us on:

About the Disability Dish

Jodi Rachins (Director), Lauren Tornatore (Senior Assistant Director) and Janelle Diaz (past Assistant Director) have one major initiative for Disability Services (DS) — to use their collective skills to reach the community beyond accommodations by openly and actively discussing ways in which we can support our fellow disability community members whether it is within the university, our outside networks and in our everyday lives. It is important and impactful to make a major effort to reduce stigma and shame around disability. The plan is to work towards flipping the script to highlight the uncountable strengths that can show through various disabilities. Among the various initiatives we plan to put out over the next few years, we are rolling out monthly podcasts to provide representation and discussion around various interesting topics on disability.

Episode Guide

• Bonus Episode: UMass Lowell (UML) Stories of Disability 2025 - The Bravery and vulnerability shared by our storytellers. Justin Lawler, '09, Director of Campus Recreation; Beth Lowell - Assistant Director of Career Services; Phoenix Lewis - Sophomore in Psychology Major; Fahad Alden - Senior "25, Digital Media and English; Brian Dervin - Admissions Counselor and Kai Sweetland-Stultz- Freshman, Physics Major
• Episode 18: Getting to know the Disability Office Staff-part 2. Evelyn O'Connor - DS Counselor and Fahad Alden-Peer Mentor talk about the work they do and how to self care over the break.
• Episode 17: A vibrant conversation with David Driscoll-Director of the Testing Center, Julia Bruce - Senior Biomedical Engineering Student and Kalib Laughran - Senior Business Administration Student.
• Episode 16: Join one of our UMass Lowell students, Catherine Faherty, a participant of the United States National Women's Sled Hockey Team, Cailin Currie a two time Paralympian Swimmer and Jeff Gerson, professor of sports and politics discuss topics about athletes, sports and disability.
• Episode 15: Join Marc Fountain '17, Peter MacDonald - Masters of Science (MS) Program and Levinia St. Jean, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) Program on an insight of Veteran's Disability Experiences and their conversation on how their time in the military have supported them on their nontraditional higher education experience.
• Episode 14: A conversation on disability identity, community and diagnosis at different life stages with Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies - Kelly Lawson, Associate Dean of Student Affairs - Ann Ciaraldi and Assistant Director of Student Success and Communications - Kelley Lawson, and Biomedical Engineering Senior - Courtney Morin.
• Episode 13: Hannah Monbleau, Assistant Director of Student Life and Well-Being and Freshman Sayf Al-Aziz - Chemical Engineering are our guest speakers and discuss the issues of being vulnerable and putting oneself out there in a new environment.
• Episode 12: A chat with Diana Walker-Moyer, recently retired Director of UMass Lowell (UML) Health Services, Steven Lam (Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at UML), Amanda Holthaus (Nurse and UML graduate student in the Zuckerberg School of Public Health), and Matt Daneau (UML senior in Plastic Engineering) discuss whether society is in a distraction epidemic, being diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and the impact at various ages, gender, staying focused, and society's expectations.
• Episode 11: It is Social Justice Week and our team participates hosts a live audience with past guests Marshall Greenleaf, Erin Keene-Crouse and Ainsley Skinner, exploring themes from the past year.
• Episode 10: Vanessa Weisbrod, Director of Boston Children's Hospital Celiac Disease Program, Ainsley Skinner - Biology Major, Kyra Barry - Nursing Student and Nicholas Trunfio - Business Major, discuss how the holidays can have further impacts on a person who identifies as having a disability.
• Episode 9: Keith Mitchell (Associate Professor English), Maria McDuffie Clark (Assistant Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs), Anshel Isles (Liberal Arts Major) and Binnette Kihiu (Business Major) talk about disability intersectionality and its importance.
• Episode 8: Beth Loell (Assistant Director of Career Services) and Beth Brassel (Librarian at the Pollard Memorial Library) talk about navigating the workforce as a person who identifies with a disability.
• Episode 7: A conversation on the topic of Positive Contributions of Disabilities Integrated in the community with Professor Katherine Fox (Psychology Department) and Brian Richard (Biology Student).
• Episode 6: Our Disability Service Team discusses different topics in the field of Disability Services.
• Episode 5: Bridget Marshall (Professor and Associate Chair in the English Department), Noah Madsen (Student majoring in English) and Patrick Burns (Business Administration Student) chat on the subject of identifying as a person with a disability.
• Episode 4: Marshall Greenleaf (Director of Student and Family Support Services), Erin Keene-Crouse (Senior Director of Orientation and Enrollment Events) and Sunita Singh-Poma discuss the topic of life transitions; how it impacts our day-to-day life and can have further impact on people who identify as having a disability.
• Episode 3: Ashleigh Hillier (Psychology Professor and Co-Director of the Center for Autism, Research and Education), Michael Kennedy (Assistant Director of Student Activities and Leadership) and Gihan Semine (Graduate Student in Business Administration) talk about social connections and how the disability community is impacted.
• Episode 2: Holly Lalos (Director of the Rist Difference Maker Institute) and Vanessa Thomas (President of eNable) discuss the topic of "what makes a change agent in disability culture".
• Episode 1: Inaugural episode - Meet our first two guests, Amy Liss (Director of Multicultural Affairs) and Lauren Giammasi (Biology Student) talk about how disability is portrayed in the media and our societal understanding around invisible/hidden disabilities.

Family and Friends

• Ìý
• (Summer 2022)

Faculty and Staff

• Access Allies