Nicolet College Shines Light on March as National Disability Awareness Month

College is challenging for just about everybody. 

Now imagine taking on those challenges when you have a disability. 

“People are really surprised when they find out how many students on college campuses are performing at a high level and succeeding in college despite having a disability,” said Kaye Mathwich, Nicolet College accommodations specialist. 

"There’s a whole population of students who are managing quite well and not letting their disability stop them from reaching their goals in life.” 

At Nicolet, about one in 10 students over the past three years has identified as having any one or more of a multitude of recognized disabilities. The total number of students with disabilities include 175 in 2019, 146 in 2020, and 125 in 2021. 

With March being National Disability Awareness Month, Mathwich said it’s important to shine a light on the many services and accommodations Nicolet offers that pave the way for individuals with disabilities to be successful in college. 

In any given year she said about 120 individuals come to her to discuss their disability and then receive the appropriate accommodations. The others prefer not to have an accommodation for various reasons. 

Common conditions include learning disabilities including reading processing disorders such as dyslexia, psychological conditions such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD, ADD/ADHD, mobility and orthopedic issues, Autism Spectrum Disorder, vision and hearing disabilities, and chronic health conditions. 

Mathwich meets with every individual one-on-one to first understand their disability and then lay out a plan and secure any resources they may need. 

Common accommodations include adaptive equipment, textbooks in audio format, testing accommodations, large-print materials, note-taking assistance, sign language interpreters, and assistive technology. 

One student at Nicolet who Mathwich has worked with is Emily, who preferred not to have her real name used, who has dyslexia and requested to have extra time during tests. 

“That little simple thing has been a huge help for me, because I don’t read as fast as others do,” said Emily, who is in her second year in the University Transfer Liberal Arts program and carrying a B average. “That accommodation has really helped me be successful at Nicolet.” 

After Nicolet she plans to transfer to a four-year campus to earn her bachelor’s degree in phycology. 

Nicolet, in partnership with Headwaters, Inc., also offers a Jump! Start program for adult learners with intellectual disabilities. This program creates opportunities for college experiences, education, employment preparation, and peer interaction. 

Other partner organizations include area high schools, state and local organizations, and advocacy groups that support people with disabilities of all ages. 

Jump! Start provides students the opportunity to learn skills on how to live more independently in the community, employment skills training and job shadow and internship opportunities, access to college coursework, and goal setting skills. 

“Nicolet cares about all students no matter where they are in life,” Mathwich explained. “We want all students to succeed.” 

Visit the website for more information about the college’s Accommodations and Disability Support program along with Jump! Start or call the college at (715) 365-4493; TTY: 800-947-3529 or 711.