As we enter the month of October and settle into our warm coffees, knit sweaters, and enjoy the changing leaves, we want to bring attention to two important anniversaries related to disability rights, advocacy, and awareness.

This year marks the 35th anniversary of the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the 80th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM).

The ADA, passed on July 26, 1990, is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various settings and situations. Today, many people don’t think twice about certain accessibility features, such as curb cuts, automatic door openers, accessible restrooms, elevators, clear walkways, closed captioning, etc. However, these are all examples of how the ADA progressed the accessibility movement and brought the concept of accessibility into our daily lives.

Prior to the passing of the ADA, many individuals with disabilities found it difficult to engage with their community and obtain gainful employment due to both discrimination and lack of access. It sparked an increase in conversations around disability and inclusivity, raising awareness regarding disability rights as well as promoting the destigmatization surrounding disability and accessibility.

Although not a piece of legislation, NDEAM works towards a similar goal. It started in 1945 as a weeklong observance of the contributions people with physical disabilities provided to the workforce. Viewing the changing landscape around the disability community and the broadening definition of disability, which now includes individuals with mental health and other nonvisible disabilities, Congress designated October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month in 1988.

Each year, a new theme is selected to highlight various aspects and contributions of the disability community. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Value and Talent.” In the spirit of this theme, we want to celebrate a few people who have shown their value and talent by making contributions to their various fields as well as society as a whole:

Frida Kahlo – renowned painter and artist: diagnosed with polio as a child, which left her with a physical disability impacting her mobility; she used her art to showcase and symbolize the beauty and challenges she faced with her own body.

Alex Zanardi – F1 racing car driver: involved in an accident that resulted in the amputation of both of his legs; three years later, he was once again competing using prostheses that he had adapted, going on to win four World Touring Car Championship (WTCC) victories.

Missy Elliott - Grammy-winning singer, rapper, producer, songwriter, and dancer: in 2008 was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an incurable autoimmune disorder that causes a range of symptoms, including hair loss, tremors, muscle weakness, and bulging eyes; this caused her to pause her music career to focus on her health before returning to the music scene in 2011.

Thomas Edison – inventor and businessman who held 1,093 patents – experienced hearing loss following a bout of scarlet fever as a child and lost most of his hearing by his early twenties.

Simone Biles – the most decorated gymnast in history, winning 11 Olympic medals and 30 World Championship medals – was diagnosed with ADHD at the age of six and withdrew from the 2020 Olympic Games due to mental health reasons; she often speaks publicly about the impact of mental health as well as both visible and invisible disabilities.

Despite their individual diagnoses and symptoms, everyone on this list overcame the obstacles in front of them to achieve great things and push the boundaries and expectations for individuals with disabilities. Through them to you, with the resources and people featured below, we hope to show that having a disability does not have to be a limitation.

Have a great October, with Fall Break, and we hope to see you at some of the following events.

Log in to the Student Portal to request accommodations, exams, and appointments with your accessibility coordinator.

Alternative Testing Requests: All exam requests must be submitted at a minimum of three [3] business days before the exam. (Seven [7] business days for finals.) Business days exclude weekends and University-observed holidays. Please note that the Alternative Testing process is for in-person, paper exams. See: Alternative Testing Request Instructions for Students.

If you have any questions, please contact DRS!

DRS would like to thank all of those who attended our September College to Career virtual workshop on resume writing!

Our next virtual workshop will be on 10/16/2025 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. The topic will be job selection. We will cover information related to the job selection process, things to consider when looking for a job, as well as resources that can assist with the process.

As a reminder, our College to Career virtual workshop series is designed to prepare students with disabilities for entering the workforce by focusing on all aspects of employment, from pre-employment job searching to post-employment disability disclosure and accommodation requests.

All workshops will take place from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm via Zoom.

October 16th – Job Selection
November 13th – Interviewing/Networking
January 15th – Disability Disclosure
February 12th – Workplace Barriers
March 19th – Accommodations Overview
April 9th – Self-Advocacy

We look forward to seeing you there!

October is ADHD, Breast Cancer, Depression Education, and Down Syndrome Awareness Month, among many others.

Oct. 5: American Veterans Disabled for Life Awareness Day and World Meningitis Day
Oct. 7: International Trigeminal Neuralgia Day
Oct. 9: PANDAS/PANS Awareness Day
Oct. 10: World Mental Health Awareness Day
Oct. 13: Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day and World Thrombosis Day
Oct. 20: World Osteoporosis Day
Oct. 22: International Stuttering Awareness Day
Oct. 24: World Polio Day

Peer Mentors and Mentees will be painting pumpkins on October 27th from 4:00-6:00 pm in the WPU Kimbo Conference room on the main level. Look for the email to register!

The DAPi Induction Ceremony was on October 3rd.

The Office of Planning, Design, and Construction is introducing three ways to keep you updated on campus changes due to preservation and construction projects. The goal is to help students, staff, and the Oakland community stay informed and navigate campus safely.

• NotifyU Text and Email Alerts - Receive text and email alerts from NotifyU about construction and facility updates, such as road closures, detours, and elevator outages. To subscribe, visit my.pitt.edu, search for NotifyU, select "Opt-In Lists," and check "Construction and Facilities." Alternatively, text “Sub [Your Pitt Username] CAF” to 1-970-610-6092.
   
• Map.pitt.edu - View construction updates on map.pitt.edu. Use the map to view active closures for Pitt projects by selecting "Construction" in the map key.
   
• Newsletter - PDC has a newsletter with updates on project progress, upcoming road or garage closures, and other news about campus construction. It will help you stay informed and plan for detours or delays. Subscribe now!

The Inclusion and Belonging Place (IBP) is developed and operated as a partnership between the University Library System (ULS) and the Office of Institutional Engagement and Wellbeing. It is located on the first floor of Hillman Library, to the left of Saxby's Cafe.

View the ULS Event Policies and reserve the space on the ULS website or learn about other spaces available in the library.

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) may be a resource to assist you in obtaining food. 

You may be eligible if you: 

• are a U.S. citizen
• don't have a meal plan OR have a meal plan with less than 11 meals per week
• AND qualify for at least 1 of the below:
  • actively work a work-study job
  • work 20 hours a week
  • participate in TRIO
  • care for a young child
  • have a disability that restricts your ability to work.

If you believe you are eligible for SNAP and would like assistance submitting an application, please contact Sarah Ramaley, Assistant Director of Basic Needs.

Also check out the Pitt Pantry!

(Photo by Igor Kupko)

DRS is always looking for good news to share, and we couldn’t be more excited about the U.S. winning gold at the World Para Ice Hockey Women's Championship this past August! DRS had the opportunity to catch up with the national team and Pitt’s own Kaden Herchenroether about her experience.

Kaden, a junior studying sociology with a minor in creative writing and criminal law and justice at Pitt, played a pivotal role in the team’s decisive 7-1 championship win.

For those unfamiliar, how would you describe sled hockey?

Sled hockey is essentially the adaptation of stand-up hockey to accommodate those with physical disabilities. It is honestly very difficult to describe, but I’ll do my best. The name comes from the mechanism we use to glide across the ice, our sled, which has two skates beneath, very close together, like those one would see on typical hockey skates. We balance on those, and we propel ourselves using two sticks, which look like a standard hockey stick cut in half, with a less extreme curve. We affix picks to the bottom of the sticks, which is how we accelerate.

It is entirely full contact. The traditional penalties are still applicable, such as tripping or roughing, but sled hockey introduces a new one for safety: T-boning. A T-bone occurs when someone intentionally rams the front of their sled into the side of someone else's. I have been guilty of that a few times myself!

How did you first get involved in sled hockey?

I was involved in several other adaptive sports before I discovered sled hockey. I played wheelchair basketball, I skied, and I handcycled, starting when I was 8. Through handcycling, I met a few individuals who played sled hockey and recommended the sport to me. They mentioned they played on a Pittsburgh-centered team, the Mighty Penguins. I was 14 years old when I first got on the ice, and I instantly fell in love with it in a way I had never been with basketball, skiing, or handcycling. 6 years later, I am now a member of the Mighty Penguins Senior Team and the National Women's Sled Hockey Team.

What inspired you to pursue the sport at a highly competitive level?

Sled hockey is a co-ed sport, meaning I have always played on the club level with men. Usually, I was one of the few, if not the only, woman on those teams. While I have forged friendships with so many of the guys on my team, there is just something special and irreplaceable about the bonds I’ve made with other women.

I had never chased the Paralympic dream before, until I found this sport. Simply, I have so much love for the game that I want to be as involved in it as possible, which includes being involved on the National level. I am always compelled to become the best version of myself, which in this case is a professional athlete.

(Screengrab from the Women’s World Para Hockey Championship game. Watch the whole game on the Paralympics YouTube channel.)

What does teamwork mean to you in a sport like sled hockey?

I am just a person who is very extrinsically motivated. I think that handcycling or skiing didn’t work out so well for me because I was the only person pushing myself, which would cause me to slack off. I do not have a great amount of self-discipline. Joining this team was a culture shock in that respect; I had to learn to toe the line between doing too much and not enough.

I also learned just how much my teammates support me in matters on and off the ice. I have made so many life-long friends who I would go to bat for at the blink of an eye, and I know wholeheartedly that they would return the favor. I know my back is covered in all matters of sled hockey, and even those that aren’t.

How did it feel to represent your country at the World Championship in Slovakia this summer?

I think it is safe to say that everyone’s dream is to be a part of something bigger than themself, and I am so lucky to be part of something so large-scale.

The experience was genuinely so surreal. The city of Dolný Kubín, Slovakia, welcomed us so warmly. Our opening ceremony had cheering masses, live bands, food trucks, specific recognition, and so much more. It was honestly startling because I had never experienced such an extensive reception for this sport before. In that moment, walking through all those people clapping for us, it really felt like we made it.

If applicable, what’s a common misconception people have about sled hockey or adaptive sports in general?

I think a common misconception about adaptive sports is that able-bodied sports don’t translate well. I believe sled hockey is an amazing translation because it keeps that competitiveness and structure of the original sport, while it leaves so much room for flexibility and creativity. Sled hockey is a completely different monster from stand-up hockey, and it deserves just as much attention. Just because we are disabled does not mean we are frail and inadequate!

In real life, there may be barriers posed against us as physically disabled individuals. On the ice, those barriers do not exist. You are one with your sled, with an unlimited number of possibilities in front of you.

How does your experience on the ice guide your life off the ice?

Any time I might be having a frustrating day or experiencing inconveniences because I am navigating life in a wheelchair, I know I can strap into my sled and all of that can fall away. On the ice, no one has the upper hand. Everyone is at the same ability–it is what you make it.

How can fans learn more about the U.S. Women’s National Sled Hockey Team and sled hockey in general?

Social media is probably our leading form of advocacy. Any new advancement made, such as winning a gold medal this year, we put on blast on our own platforms. This sport, especially the women’s side, has grown out of virtually nothing. Anyone I can, I will tell them about sled hockey, in hopes they will tell their friends or family. It can essentially become a chain reaction until it extends across every country in the world.

(Photo by Igor Kupko)

Thank you to Kaden for sharing her amazing story, and congratulations to the U.S. women’s national sled hockey team. Follow more of their journey at Team USA Hockey.

Do you have good news or something you’re passionate about that you’d like to share with other people with disabilities (and beyond) who read the newsletter? Contact your accessibility coordinator or email DRSrecep@pitt.edu.

That's all for now! We'll see you next month.