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Tennessee Tech hosts ‘accessibility awareness day’
Panelists and event leaders for Tech’s “Wings Up: Wheels in Motion” accessibility
awareness day gather for a group picture. Back row from left: Margo Dirkson, coordinator
for the Office of Accessibility, Belonging and Community Outreach (ABC), Lia Nesbitt,
ABC graduate assistant, Claire Myers, outgoing student government association vice
president, Autezia Sellers, Ph.D. student, and Xavier Washington, ABC graduate assistant.
Front row from left: Mattea Trusty, student, Mark Warnick, lecturer in the School
of Professional Studies, Cole Lesar, student, Chester Goad, director of the Accessible
Education Center, and Rob Owens, chief diversity officer.
Tennessee Tech University’s Office of Accessibility, Belonging and Community Outreach
hosted students, faculty, staff and community members for an April 16 “accessibility
awareness day” to elevate the voices of differently-abled members of the university
community.
Billed as “Wings Up: Wheels in Motion,” the day’s events included reflections from
students and faculty who spent the morning navigating campus in a wheelchair to better
understand the experiences of others, followed by a moderated panel discussion.
Tech senior Mattea Trusty, who uses a wheelchair, said the event was born out of conversations
between her and Rob Owens, Tech’s chief diversity officer, who was immediately supportive.
“It’s something that I felt would be eye opening,” said Trusty. “My goal was to make
campus more aware … I wanted to make a difference.”
During the panel discussion, Trusty shared about the misconceptions others often have
about students with disabilities, such as assuming they must speak louder or slower
around her to be heard. Still, she says the university’s response to students with
accessibility challenges has been positive.
“They’ve been very open to listen, especially campus administration,” said Trusty.
“They have taken their time and have truly wanted to see things improve and be better.”
Likewise, Mark Warnick, a lecturer in Tech’s School of Professional studies who uses
a motorized scooter to move around campus, shared how university leaders constructed
his office with a wider door to better accommodate him.
“I have a much easier time getting into my office, so that’s something Tech does right,”
said Warnick.
Panelists emphasized the importance of seeing those with disabilities as individuals,
and not making assumptions about one’s disability based on the disabilities of others.
“I often say, if you’ve met one person with a disability – you’ve met one person with
a disability,” said Chester Goad, director of the Accessible Education Center, who
moderated the panel discussion.
“We need to realize that we’re all unique,” added Warnick. “We each have our own disabilities
and we all have different abilities. There’s disabilities and abilities in the same
body.”
Owens, who organized the gathering and was among those who spent part of the day using
a wheelchair, shared how his father’s recent mobility challenges had informed his
views on the importance of accessibility.
“Watching my parents navigate public spaces, you realize how many places are not created,
or even reshaped or redesigned, with people with disabilities in mind,” said Owens.
“There so much I learned from being in a wheelchair this morning, and we want to keep
having conversations like this to open others’ eyes to what we need to be doing on
campus.”
Another panelist, Cole Lesar, a senior mechanical engineering major at Tech with a
concentration in aerospace, shared how he has received accommodations and support
from the university’s Accessible Education Center. Now, Lesar represents the center
in the Student Government Association and hopes to be a voice for his differently-abled
peers.
“I want to make things that help people and make things easier,” said Lesar, who plans
on pursuing a career in biomedical engineering. “That’s why I represent the student
body for accessibility. Any kind of accommodation that people need – that’s my mindset
and my purpose for being on SGA.”
Autezia Sellers, a doctoral student at Tech who spent the morning in a wheelchair
and shared about her experiences at the event, said stepping into the day-to-day world
of someone with mobility challenges taught her to see others for their abilities,
not their disabilities.
“Look at the attributes people bring to the table outside their limitations,” said
Sellers. “I had a lot of eyes on me. They thought ‘maybe we should help her’ but I
wanted them to think ‘maybe she can help us.’”
Putnam County Mayor Randy Porter, who attended the event, commended organizers for
hosting the discussion and reinforced his own commitment to promoting accessibility
in the community.
“Accessibility is a very important issue for not only Tennessee Tech, but our county
as a whole,” said Porter. “I’m glad to see Tech having this discussion and taking
the initiative.”
