By Madeleine Edwards ‘19
Staff Writer

October is National Disability Awareness Month, and the 7Cs are honoring its purpose along with the nation. October will be marked by campus-wide events aimed at raising awareness around the Claremont Colleges regarding disability and the resources available to students with disabilities. At the heart of this are two groups on campus, the Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC) and the Disability, Illness, and Difference Alliance (DIDA).

The SDRC is a fairly new resource on campus, celebrating its one-year anniversary this month. It is located in Tranquada Student Services Center south of Honnold-Mudd Library. The center opened in the fall of 2014 and serves 7C students with disabilities.

At the center, students with academic accommodations can have tests proctored and find advocates for their academic success. The center also provides disability awareness workshops and trainings, instructional support for faculty, and study space.

This month, the SDRC will host many of the Disability Awareness Month-related events. These include a variety of lunch discussions, talks, and workshops. For a full calendar of events, look for SDRC posters around campus or check our their website (http://www.cuc.claremont.edu/sdrc/).

One of the SDRC’s educational efforts during October includes posting daily trivia questions on their website Monday through Friday, which students can answer to enter to win a prize. This runs through the end of the month.

October will finish with speaker Dr. Alan Green, Professor of Education at USC, on the topic “What Can We Gain From Expanding Our Definition of Diversity?” Dr. Green’s talk will be held Friday, Oct. 30 at 11:00am. Location TBA.

Monsour Counseling will also hold weekly workshops on mental health topics throughout the month. Coming up on Tues., Oct. 20 at 5:00pm in the Tranquada Student Services Center, Monsour will host an Assertiveness and Empowerment workshop to facilitate learning around having healthier relationships, building assertiveness and feeling more empowered in interactions with others. Find details about these events on the SDRC’s website or October calendars of events posted around campus. Also consider checking out Monsour’s website at http://www.cuc.claremont.edu/monsour/.

DIDA, the 5C’s Disability, Illness, and Difference Alliance, is Claremont’s club led by and for disabled students. On Sat., Oct. 10, the group painted Pomona’s Walker Wall in honor of Disability Awareness Month, with images related to disability empowerment and awareness. To celebrate this month, take a stroll by Walker Wall to enjoy the art, attend a workshop or look for opportunities to participate in conversations regarding disability at Scripps.