While you might think we are taking it easy as the semester has ended and "summer" has started, the DS Office is buzzing around like usual! We’ve been setting up our summer students and starting to prepare to welcome the incoming students. And yes, enjoying the sunny days as much as we can. By the way, how do you like our new look? Pretty fancy, eh?

The DS Team (Jodi, Brandon, Lauren, Evelyn, and Aida) 

We would like to highlight amazing allies around campus and need your help! Please take a minute and share your experience with us . 

UML's new Public Speaking working group includes several campus department and we plan to offer resources and skill-building opportunities for students wishing to develop their presenting - particularly those with a fear of public speaking.

Please take 2 minutes to help us understand your needs better. (This is anonymous unless you choose to provide your name).

BIG NEWS: The Disability Dish is now on your favorite podcast platforms! We will no longer be updating the youtube page but find us at the following spots: 

Episode 12 : Jodi and Lauren talked with Dr. Diana Walker-Moyer, Nurse Practitioner and recently retired Director of the UML Health Services; Dr. Stephen 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 Plastics Engineering about whether society is in a distraction epidemic, and being diagnosed with ADHD and the impact on at various ages, gender, staying focused, and society's expectations. (stay tuned for a part B because we had so much fun that we still had more to cover!) 

If you haven’t registered for classes and need help getting started or understanding your holds, a great starting point is to email advisement@uml.edu

SourceAbled is Rangam’s autism, neurodiversity, and disability hiring solution providing a collaborative, holistic framework designed to develop people, create inclusionary processes, and foster a culture of belonging. Start searching for jobs now ! 

Free recorded webinars that explore the topics of relationships, sexuality, and social skills for teenagers and adults. Good for students and faculty and staff helping students. OAR also has scholarship opportunities and other events! 

 Thu, Jun 22 7:00am-1:30pm – Four Oaks Country Club Dracut  

Coming off a successful inaugural tournament, UMass Lowell will continue to grow support around women’s athletics by hosting the second annual River Hawk Open. This tournament will honor and celebrate the successes of UMass Lowell Women’s Athletics Programs. 

The tournament will be held at Four Oaks Country Club. Four Oaks Country Club is an 18-hole Championship Golf Course located in the heart of the Merrimack Valley. With breathtaking views and upscale conditions, the course offers an enjoyable experience for both novice and expert players. Golfers of all experience levels are encouraged to join. The scramble format of the tournament allows for all players to contribute in a fun environment. 

You are not alone at UML, and we have many resources to support you! We'd like you to join our listserv for pregnant and parenting students. You'll get priority registration and information about family-friendly opportunities. 

To join the listserv, fill out this quick survey. Once you are tagged in SIS as a student parent, you'll have access to priority registration so you can plan a schedule that works with your family's needs. 

 For questions, please contact Marshall Greenleaf. 

Stay Tuned for Fall 2023 Events (ON HANDSHAKE!) 

Individual Career Advising 

Available on a drop-in or scheduled basis, in-person and via Zoom; visit Career Advising for details. 

Summer 2023 events - Check out the events webpage. 

Check out the Well-being Blog 

The Student Life & Well-being blog shows how students are incorporating the eight dimensions of wellness into their daily life on campus. 

Stay Tuned for Fall Happenings! 

Meanwhile follow on Instagram at @university.crossing 

Did you know you could be seen the same day or the next from your first contact? Even in the summer if you’re in Massachusetts. 

To schedule an initial, first appointment: 

Call the Wellness Center at 978-934-6800 during normal business hours (Monday – Thursday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Friday: 9:15 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.) for an in-person 30-minute appointment. Initial appointments are only scheduled for same-day or the next business day, so please only call for an appointment on when you are available for a session. It is advised that you call at 8:30 a.m. to obtain a same-day appointment, as initial appointments times are filled quickly. It will be required that you arrive 20 minutes prior to your appointment time to complete necessary forms at a Wellness Center waiting room kiosk. 

Did you know you can talk to someone 24/7? 

To get help when experiencing a mental health crisis: 

Contact the UMass Lowell on-call clinician at 855-890-2879 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. 

Do you know there are quite a few self-driven resources for students? 

Just a few:    

Check out all the resources and more on the Counseling Services Website 

Smart-home devices can sometimes feel almost magical. They allow you to turn on lights without having to touch a switch, answer the front door from your bedroom (or a hotel room), and tweak your thermostat with a simple voice command. For many people, those capabilities are a convenience or a luxury. But for those who live with accessibility challenges, smart-home technology can be a powerful enabler, one that allows them to live a more independent and empowered life.  

“Convenience for you is independence for me.” 

 nytimes.com 

Grace Warnock is only 10, but she’s perceptive. She easily picked up on judgmental looks from strangers when she would use public bathrooms for people with disabilities. 

Grace has Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory bowel disease you can’t see from the outside. The condition can be painful and requires her to make a lot of bathroom stops. Instead of putting up with rude onlookers, she designed a bathroom sign that includes both a person in a wheelchair and a standing person with a heart, symbolizing people with invisible conditions. 

Themighty.com

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced another increase in the prevalence of autism among children. In a pair of new reports — one focused on 8-year-olds and one on 4-year-olds — the CDC found that 1 out of every 36 children has autism. This is a significant increase from the 2021 estimate of 1 in 44, which was a big jump from 1 in 110 in 2006. 

 This increase may sound scary. But as autistic adults and as parents of children with autism, we advise you to relax. There is no “epidemic of autism.” Instead, what we face is an epidemic of need. 

The main reason we are finding more autism is simple: Clinicians are getting better at spotting what was always there. 

statnews.com 

Creating a Culture of Inclusion 

Join GUIDE Beauty Founder Terri Bryant and Chief Creative Officer Selma Blair on our journey. We're celebrating our love of beauty, self-expression, and community as we share the joy of applying makeup with ease and confidence. 

insider.com 

“The Deaf creatives on the team, which include Douglas Ridloff and ASL performer, Jac Cook, exceeded expectations as they set out to communicate Ant-Man’s entertaining dialogue and sound effects in a manner befitting Marvel’s distinctive style, subversive humor, and high-velocity action.“ 

To access the feature with ASL, find it under the EXTRAS tab on the ANT-MAN page on Disney+. 

Marvel.com 

Since SEVENTEEN’s debut in 2015, Wonwoo has built a reputation as one of the quietest members of the group. The first episode of Wonwoo’s Mindset Collection arrived in the middle of AAPI Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month.  

“This is an incredibly important partnership for us since we know Asian Americans are among the least likely to seek help for mental health out of any racial or ethnic group.”

Teenvogue.com   

The Cost of Living star is the first actor who's an amputee to be on Broadway, but she's ready for more accessibility 

With this, she became the first-ever actress who is an amputee to perform on Broadway, and now, she's the first ever Tony-nominated amputee in general (Sullivan was born without the lower half of her legs). Cost of Living, by Martyna Majok, is also now nominated for Best Play, an especially important accolade because the play featured two disabled actors, and was applauded for its frank and moving examination of human connection—across class, racial lines, and disability. 

Playbill.com 

Readers are now able "to be sent the audio file, to print a Braille file of the issue at home for free or to register your interest in receiving a physical Braille copy." 

"Disability should feel personal to us all," he wrote. "The time has come for us to get real about who we are as a society, and for fashion to build a better, more accessible and inclusive industry." 

yahoo.com