KENT, Ohio — October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office at Kent State University celebrates the month as Disability Awareness Month for all students.

What You Need To Know

  • Kent State’s Student Accessibility Services is celebrating disability awareness month in October 

  • The office is hosting various calming events throughout the month

  • They hope to normalize having a disability on campus 

Amanda Feaster, the director of SAS, said her office provides accommodations and advocacy for students with both physical and mental disabilities. She said this is important because, nationwide, about 20% of college students have a disability.

“That’s like one in five students, which is way more than people think,” Feaster said. “The latest numbers from the CDC say 27% of adults have a disability in the United States, so everybody knows somebody with a disability, whether they actively identify that way or not.” 

James Trombka with SAS explained that during the month of October, the office is hosting different calming activities to help raise awareness about disabilities on campus and any student is invited to attend, whether they have a disability or not.

“I think it is really cool to see that awareness is getting out there and students are seeing that there are services available to them,” Trombka said. “They really just have to take that first step to reach out and we are happy to help from there.” 

Markus Blankenship is a senior at Kent State who has ADHD. They have been utilizing SAS since they were a freshman. Blankenship said this month of awareness and celebration helps break the stigma surrounding being a student with disabilities.

“Just knowing that there is a place on campus where there are other students like me helps me feel less alone in my journey, in my ups and downs as a student with a disability,” Blankenship said. “They exist and they are here on campus, you know, they are your classmates, they are your friends and your teachers. Raising awareness to that is always a good thing.”