College

Since I was in a tech-related major during undergrad, I became the default IT specialist and device troubleshooter for friends, family members, people who lived in my dorm building, and other students who had trouble using their computer or other mobile devices. Practical information technology…

During my in-person tech internship and while working in other remote positions that require me to sit at my desk a lot, I have experimented a lot with creating accessible workspaces for Chiari Malformation that make it easier for individuals to do computer work and…

Even though I didn’t live in a mobility access/wheelchair accessible dorm on campus during undergrad, I still used several dorm room disability hacks to make it easier and more comfortable to move around my dorm. As a student diagnosed with Chiari Malformation and then-undiagnosed POTS,…

While I have always been interested in studying assistive technology and “other technology”, I changed my undergraduate major three times. I started as an applied computer science major, switched to information technology, and ultimately graduated with a degree in Computational and Data Sciences. Before changing…

During the last few semesters of college, my disability and chronic illness made it difficult for me to walk to classes on my own. Even with the use of guides and mobility aids, I would often show up to class exhausted, since I had used…

Ever wonder “how does a blind person use the bathroom?” or “how does someone who is visually impaired take a shower?” I’ve had many people ask me these questions, including children, teachers, friends, and even people I shared a bathroom with in student housing. Like…

While living on campus, I would typically order items online and have them delivered to me instead of going to physical stores. Since I have low vision and an unpredictable chronic illness, ordering items online in college required less energy than making an off-campus trip,…

As part of my work as the Microsoft Content Specialist for AIM-VA and as a Microsoft Certified Educator, I had the opportunity to present a short talk as part of the AT Lab at the I’m Determined Summit 2020, a virtual conference for students with…

I receive disability accommodations in college for two different medical conditions- an eye condition that causes low vision and a neurological condition called Chiari Malformation. Both my eye and brain condition cause me to experience light sensitivity, sometimes referred to as photosensitivity, and my accommodations…

How to tell college professors about your disability services file

When I was moving out of my dorm at the end of the school year and rearranging items inside a box, a staff member asked why I don’t take my blindness cane with me everywhere I go. They were wondering how I was able to…

Whenever I speak about my experiences with working with a teacher of the visually impaired (TVI) while attending public school, people are often surprised by how many lessons my TVI taught me in high school, even though I did not see them very often. Even…