What was your academic/professional path to AU and beyond?
I always knew I wanted to pursue a career in working with individuals with disabilities but unsure of in what capacity. My senior year of college, I came across a research article outlining a study that resonated deeply with my interests and personality. This study was designed to measure "to what extent do adolescents' perceptions of caring teachers predict efforts to achieve positive social and academic outcomes in school?" Results found that "perceived caring from teachers was related significantly and positively to student's pursuit of prosocial and social responsibility goals and to student's academic efforts" (Wentzel, 1997). Additionally, findings also indicated that "student are more likely to engage in classroom activities if they feel supported and valued" (Wentzel 1997).

I started working at American University (AU) shortly after graduating with my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from The Catholic University of America. After researching the Master in Special Education: Learning Disabilities program, meeting with Sarah Irvine Belson, and visiting The Lab School, I knew this program would be a great fit for me and my goals. About a year into my program, I started working in the Academic Support and Access Center at AU as an Accommodations Coordinator for testing and notetaking. Working in the ASAC while simultaneously pursuing my master's degree allowed me to draw connections between my coursework and the students I saw daily. This position also allowed me to work closely with professors and enhance their understanding of disability-related academic accommodations. Shortly after graduating with my master's in May 2017, I moved into the position of Assistant Director, Disability Support in the ASAC. In this role, I oversee the accommodations team and work directly with students requesting disability-related accommodations at AU. These accommodations include dining, housing, interpretive, notetaking, physical, temporary and testing accommodations. I also serve as a disability access advisor for students with disabilities and those needing general academic support.


Have you worked on any specific research projects that you would like to highlight?
I have been researching and learning assistive technology for students with disabilities. When I am working with students, I often think about which assistive technology options they would benefit from the most. In the ASAC, we recently moved from peer notetaking accommodations to encouraging students to use notetaking technology, such as Sonoscent Audio Notetaker or Livescribe SmartPens. Through conversations with students, we are able to determine which software would work best for them, and sometimes, depending on the course content, the answer is both! Notetaking technology helps students actively engage in their accommodations. Rather than receiving peer notes at the end of every class, students are given an opportunity to write, type, record, or a mix of the three. The technology allows students more control over how they want their notes organized and sets them up for future success when entering the workforce.