 My name is Amitah Huja. I am I have actually just finished my PhD in political science here at the University of Michigan And now I am off to a position of assistant professor at the University of California and Santa Barbara. I'm Laura Wernick I'm in the joint doctoral program in social work in political science and while I was here I also did the women's studies certificate. My name is Julia Shapiro. I'm in classical studies I primarily focus on 4th century Athens Gender studies and religion Now I've used quite a few services here at At University of Michigan and you know they range from the services that relate directly to my work and then others that Are more closely related to my my living in Ann Arbor. For my work I have actually turned to the offices or the office of the services for students with disabilities, which is SSD And SSD has been very helpful in getting my getting me help with you know readings Because the work that I you know I need my readings to be scanned into a computer and SSD has been has been absolutely phenomenal in terms of Getting the readings scanned and getting them to me on time They've also helped me with getting access to technology. So things like screen reading software Other supportive software with its to do with statistics and other stuff So in that sense, it's it's I think it's it's a great resource on campus But also I think it's one of the best offices functional in this country today. It's just a really really good resource In addition to that Ann Arbor just has a lot of good public services Which are you know useful for everybody, but I especially enjoyed things like, you know The bus system here, you know as somebody who's blind. I don't drive So the bus system here has been absolutely fantastic in terms of you know getting around I think that the experiences here are somewhat different for people who have visible disabilities as opposed to invisible disabilities As a result, I would highly recommend, you know having an early meeting With the someone from the office of disabilities and somebody relatively high up in your department Who's in a position of decision-making to sit down and talk about the implications of having this particular disability Another thing that I would I would talk about is You know when you walk in walk in with your head up high it's I think it's hard for people with disabilities to Ask for what you want in a way that sounds good like you're capable and you can do this and you need some help And here's what you need And I think that the best way to do it is to come to the faculty member work out what you want And then say I have this problem. Oh look. I have a solution to this problem Oh, look, you didn't even have to think about it. You just say yes And then I go away and it's all good the rlt the center for research and learning and teaching provides a a Tutor for teachers basically it's unconnected with the department I would say that for the first for a gsi with a disability get help from crlt get a lot of help from crlt Get like three visits from them in a semester the first semester They're really helpful and they will tutor you in how to teach You know, this is a public university and it takes its responsibility towards the disabled very seriously But I think before before coming in I think there is also something to be said about um You know preparing for for entering a program and Anyone with a disability with certain specific needs Needs to do their homework of early and and and get that information to their particular department and or people They'd be working with as early as possible Um, I think these are conversations which are best held after being accepted into the program Uh, but once you are accepted into the program I think it's it's absolutely vital that uh, you get this information to your department as early as possible I think what also is very helpful is Just generally preparing yourself in terms of what you need to do to be able to live successfully in an hour Because we we often look at the university when we look at university life We look at only the department our work life But I think it's all equally important to look at issues related to day-to-day living And the one thing you want to avoid as somebody who's disabled is isolation That's that's really important to be you know be mindful of that and and finally You know treat yourself. I think it's really important to understand that this is a very large university community And and and and it's important to sort of be become a part of that community to To embrace that community and I think that's really the best way in terms of You know in terms of your student life here to to actually Uh, it should sort of make the disability disappear because in some ways what you are trying to do As a as a graduate student or as an undergraduate student here is to To develop a different kind of an identity Uh, I've always personally believed that disability is not my primary identity And I also happen to think that a lot of disabled people feel similarly And the university gives you a very good opportunity to develop multiple identities Including a professional one while you're here