Imagine being surrounded by people who can advise, coach, and challenge you to pursue your academic, personal, and professional goals. People who are always there for you no matter the detours or alternate routes you may take along the way. At Butler, mentorship extends beyond the classroom to the many student services and centers across campus.
Kathleen Camire
Director, Student Disability Services
What resources does your department offer to students?
The Student Disability Services (SDS) office offers accommodations, for any student with a diagnosed disability, in order to provide equal access to education for all students. SDS serves students with a vast variety of diagnoses, including but not limited to, ADHD, learning disabilities, medical conditions, psychological conditions, physical conditions, hearing and vision conditions, and more. We work with each student to provide individualized accommodations specific to their access needs, from academics (like extended time on exams and the use of our distraction-reduced environment testing center), to housing and other physical space needs, support with the transition to college, and more.
How do you empower students and help them achieve their goals?
The transition to college is truly the full first year for most students, and we validate for students that the challenges of that transition are in fact totally normal. SDS seeks to provide support for students with disabilities who may not feel comfortable sharing their concerns or struggles with others and give them the time they need to adjust to the independence that college brings.
What advice would you give a prospective student who’s considering Butler University?
I would advise any student who is considering Butler University to consider more than just what they see on the surface. Butler has gorgeous buildings, a picturesque campus, and state-of-the- art residence halls, but there is so much more to the college experience than what you can physically see. Consider the intangibles: the connections you can make with faculty and staff, the student community and breadth of opportunities for growth and unique experiences, and the individualized experience that you can create here.
Rachel Meighan
Junior
Healthcare and Business major; Race, Gender, and Sexuality Studies minor
Arlington, Virginia
How has Student Disability Services encouraged, inspired, or influenced you?
Butler’s SDS office has given me the support I need to be successful. As a college student who has diagnosed disabilities that impact the way I learn, it was very easy to feel lost and worried, but with the support of the SDS office I have felt fully supported since my first days on campus.
How have the resources offered by Student Disability Services helped you succeed as a student?
They have helped me create a plan with accommodations that I use to be as successful as possible. It isn’t just a one and done meeting, unless of course you want it to be. For me, things have changed and circumstances have shifted since freshman year, and SDS has grown with me and continues to meet me wherever I am.
What advice would you give a prospective student who’s considering Butler University?
My advice to a prospective student who is considering Butler would be to talk to as many different Butler students, staff, and faculty as possible because I feel like everyone has different experiences and stories of why they love Butler.