[nabs-l] which graduate program

Sun Aug 4 20:10:57 UTC 2013

I've attended several universities, some of which have had 
excellent disability services programs in place and some of which 
have most definitely not.  While I think Joe is certainly correct 
that a blind student can thrive in a school without strong 
disability resources and that this experience can offer valuable 
preparation for post-college life, I also feel that there's 
nothing at all wrong with taking the quality of various programs 
into account as a secondary factor.  I'd advise students not to 
be deterred from attending their first-choice schools because of 
blindness-related hesitations or to pick a school because it 
seems especially "blind-friendly," but I also wouldn't want 
anyone to feel bad about seeking out blindness-related 
information that might make their decision easier in situations 
in which other factors turn out to be more-or-less equal.  Blind 
students will always need to advocate for themselves; having 
access to even the best of disability services programs will 
never negate that, nor should it.  It might, however, make life a 
bit less stressful and give students more time to focus on 
academics and other pursuits.  That's not 100% necessary, as Joe 
reminds us, but it remains a positive thing when not considered 
to the exclusion of other factors, and I've never found it to 
detract from blind folks' ability to succeed in work environments 
later on.

Lucy

> ----- Original Message -----
>From: "Joe" <jsoro620 at gmail.com
>To: "'NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BLIND STUDENTS'" <NABS-L at nfbnet.org
>Date sent: Sun, 4 Aug 2013 13:46:49 -0400
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] which graduate program

>Suzanne,

>I did not say blindness could not be a factor in researching 
future
>employment.  I said using the strength of a disability service at 
a
>university was misguided, because it puts us in the frame of mind 
that
>future employment can be chosen on the strength of a disability 
service that
>isn't there.  We may as well start to advocate for ourselves at 
the
>university level where there are far more resources than in the 
real world
>where the support systems are significantly less.

>Yes, one should be smart about choosing jobs where transportation 
is
>feasible.  Yet, graduate school is approximately two years long.  
A little
>sacrifice is in order if the academics and job prospects after 
graduation
>are great.  Besides, I specifically pointed out that considering 
public
>transit when choosing a school was a fair point.

>As to safety, no one advocated you be careless.  My point is that 
whether or
>not an area is safe is subjective.  Yes, talk to people about the 
general
>area, and try to find a location that seems reasonable.  Yet, do 
not expect
>to find a completely satisfactory response, because what seems 
safe to one
>person will differ from what seems safe to someone else.

>We do not disagree as much as you think.  I just wish you'd 
carefully read
>what I wrote before responding.

>Joe

>From: Suzanne Germano [mailto:sgermano at asu.edu]
>Sent: Sunday, August 04, 2013 12:12 PM
>To: jsoro620 at gmail.com; National Association of Blind Students 
mailing list
>Subject: Re: [nabs-l] which graduate program

>How can we not consider our blindness in a future job?

>For example if a company is miles from any bus stop then it is 
not an option
>unless you can afford a cab everyday.  Para-transit only goes 3/4 
mile off
>the bus route.  Over the years, since I graduated high school in 
1982, I have
>researched car pooling and it never panned out.  So for 
transportation I do
>consider my vision when job hunting.  It sucks but if I cannot 
get there, I
>cannot get there.

>And I would consider transportation around a school when looking 
at it's
>pros and cons even sighted people take into consideration things 
like how
>close are store etc.  I see nothing wrong with wanting to choose 
a school
>that has good public transportation.

>And safe neighborhood, that has nothing to do with sight.  I 
would not live
>in an unsafe neighborhood sighted or blind.

>Suzanne

>On Sat, Aug 3, 2013 at 4:24 PM, Joe <jsoro620 at gmail.com> wrote:

>Kelsey,

>I think it fair to ask what communities offer better public 
transportation.
>However, I'm not so sure the safety factor is going to give you 
any degree
>of satisfaction.  There are great schools located in the midst of 
dubious
>neighborhoods.  Take, for example, the University of Chicago, the 
Catholic
>University of America, Temple University, and the list goes on 
and on.  If
>safety is a high priority, you may very well decide studying at 
home is your
>best bet.

>If you are going to start making blindness a factor in choosing a 
school,
>you're going to allow it to be a factor in choosing your future 
job.  Yes, it
>would be great if some disability services offered excellent 
support.
>Unfortunately, most do not, and that's okay because in the 
working world the
>support is zero.  You may as well grow some confidence about 
advocating for
>yourself now where the support systems are more plentiful in the 
academic
>arena.

>It's a little tough love.  Yet, I assure you in the long run 
you'll be better
>for it.  Pick the program based on its potential to give you the 
best
>training, the best investment of your time and money.  The rest 
has a funny
>way of falling into place when you need it to.

>Joe

>-----Original Message-----
>From: nabs-l [mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of 
Kelsey Nicolay
>Sent: Saturday, August 03, 2013 10:13 AM
>To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>Subject: [nabs-l] which graduate program

>Hello,
>I would like some of your opinions on this.  I just posted that I 
am
>interested in a graduate program in speech-language pathobogy.
>I have found three programs so far that sound interested.  One is 
at
>University of Akron which is the online program I posted about 
before.  The
>advantage to this one is that I can live at home while taking 
classes and
>compaete clinicals in my hometown of Medina, Ohio.  The second 
progham is
>Ohio State University.  My concern with Ohio State is that I 
would need to
>relocate to Columbus.  Therefore, someone from that area, can you 
please
>tell me what the safety of that neighborhood would be like? How 
is the bus
>transportation? Do they offer any discounts for osu students or 
students
>with disabilities? The final phogram I have found so far is 
Edinboro
>University of Pennsylvania.  They are a two-year program.  This 
means I
>would need to relocate to Edinboro.  What is it like there, if 
anyone is
>from that area? Is it a relatively safe community for someone who 
is totally
>blind? They do offer free bus transfortation on campus and in the 
Erie area
>so that is something else to consider.  Their office of students 
with
>disabilities is also national ranked.  Therefore, if you were in 
my
>situation, which program would you choose and why?
>Thanks in advance,
>Kelsey Nicolay

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