[nabs-l] which graduate program

Anna Givens annajee82 at gmail.com
Sun Aug 4 21:01:55 UTC 2013 

Well said Lucy.

Anna E Givens

On Aug 4, 2013, at 3:10 PM, Lucy Sirianni <lucysirianni at earthlink.net> wrote:

> 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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