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Positive Identity I'm a senior and I’m majoring in Special
Education, Learning Disabilities, and I'll be graduating in the spring.
Shani Feyen is a specialist. She taught me ways of selfadvocacy, how to talk to my instructors,
and how to navigate the waters here. I think it’s basically standing up for yourself
and knowing when you can push yourself but also when you need to rest and to stay healthy.
And so that is something I will definitely take with me. It’s a lifelong skill.
I have decided that I don't really want to do teaching. I really want to do disability
services in a higher education setting like this because I see how hard it is sometimes
for college students who have disabilities and how hard it is to help them be understood.
So I have applied to graduate school for higher education programs.
Everyone has a story. Everyone is going through something.
>> I graduated with a masters in Social Work from MSU in 2000.
Sometimes having some sort of a disability, I hate that term, gives you an edge. You're
perhaps stronger as a result because you have been through more. And as long as you have
your ego intact, you have a balanced perspective on what is your right and what is you’re
just competing with everybody else that can really give you an edge on the competition.
Because you have been through a lot already, you’ve figured out things, you’ve learned
how to advocate. You haven't had an easy way for the most part and that builds character.
So tap into that part of it rather than the frustration of this is so challenging for
me, I’m just not going do it. It is too hard, people just don't understand it. Like,
you know, they may understand it and they may not. But what do you want? What do you
want? Because the people who don't understand it
they are not going to be around in five years when you’re either working at some low-end
job that you don't like or you’re working in the career of your dreams that you pushed
through all of that to achieve. >> My name is Elliot Zirulnik, and I'm a Media
Information sophomore. I’m registered with the RCPD as having Asperger’s syndrome.
The RCPD is probably one of my favorite places to be on campus because I feel really well
connected to the people here. I feel safe here. I feel like it is a judgment free zone.
There is definitely a place for everyone. I found a few places for myself so that was
nice. Right now I’m working on leadership skills.
I’m the Social Chair for the Council of Students with Disabilities.
One of our main concerns is accessibility. We have some clear goals. One was to put Braille
on the vending machines. That's something that we have had a lot of success with.
And I'm the Students-At-Large Representative for the President's Advisory Council on Disability
Issues. We cover a wide variety of topics and provide feedback, especially as a student
representative that’s important because most of the people with disabilities on the
campus are students. It’s a lot of work, but I enjoy it. And
it's worth it because I get to connect with so many people.
>> (Interpreter Donna Leahy voicing) Okay, I'm Jason. I'm currently in Milwaukee,
Wisconsin. I graduated 2001. I think that's right. My degree was in Criminal Justice.
My current job is Itinerant Teacher. So I work with a lot of different schools, but
often came up the subject of selfawareness and selfadvocacy and becoming oh, it’s becoming
a buzzword. But really people, the soft skills, you need to feel comfortable and be able to
make mistakes. And tell us what they want and what they don't want.
I think one of the biggest things I’ve learned from college and high school is you have many
choices. And the choices aren't made by the students. They’re made by the teachers or
the parents or the staff. And they really don't have any input into those decisions.
So I think it is really important for students to be successful as a person and have their
own voice and making sure, you know, that they’re being heard.