Participants at the inaugural meeting: Jack Bartlett, Marquette University; Mara Bellino, Georgetown University Law Center; Ashley Bray, Georgetown University; Elissa Caropreso, Loyola University Chicago; Laura Hiatt, Georgetown University (Doha, Qatar); Jane F. Holahan, Ed.D., Georgetown University; Denise LeClair, Creighton University; Priscilla Levine, Loyola Marymount University; Mahnaz Mousavi, Georgetown University (Doha, Qatar); Tom Merrell, University of San Francisco; Amy Mullarkey, Georgetown University; Mindy Pettegrew, Rockhurst University; Katie Tappel, Loyola University Chicago; Linda Whitfield, Loyola Law School; Marcia Wiedefeld, Loyola University Maryland
On October 2-4, Loyola University Chicago hosted an inaugural gathering of disability support administrators from eight Jesuit colleges and universities. The meeting brought together women and men whose work with students is inspired by St. Ignatius and informed by their common mission. For three days, participants met at Loyola’s Water Tower campus to discuss issues that impact their daily work.
The mission of disability support offices is to ensure equity and access to programs and facilities for students with disabilities, underscoring the social justice aspect of their field. Kathleen Maas Weigert, Ph.D., a sociology professor at Loyola Chicago, delivered a keynote speech, tying together Ignatian values and the work of disability support administrators. Based on positive feedback from participants, plans are being made to make this an annual event for AJCU disability support administrators and colleagues.
The theme for this year’s meeting was “sharing our identity.” Participants came from Creighton University, Georgetown University (main campus, Law Center and Doha, Qatar), Loyola Marymount University, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Maryland, Rockhurst University, Marquette University and the University of San Francisco.
Information for this article was contributed by Jane F. Holahan, Ed.D., director of the academic resource center at Georgetown University.