Potential new club at Geneseo
A new pending club is starting at SUNY Geneseo for those who identify with having a disability, hopefully beginning at the end of Spring 2023.
There is no name attached to the club yet due to the aspirations of including the opinions of Geneseo students to have the correct vernacular for all to feel included and represented.
There are over 180 clubs and organizations currently at Geneseo. There are no current clubs directly contributing to the inclusivity of people with mental or physical disabilities. It is a motivating move forward in inclusivity creating a club that is all-encompassing to needing an inclusive environment.
Junior communications and sociomedical sciences double major Kaitlin Anzalone stated, “People with disabilities often have varying language usage that they are comfortable with, so it is important that we get a feel for how the campus climate reacts to certain words and phrases.”
With the intention of creating an environment where all are welcome with any sort of physical or mental condition in their lives, Geneseo is hopefully gaining a new club started by Anzalone. The idea came from the results of the Campus Climate Survey.
Anzalone explained, “We saw that there was a lack of feelings of belonging among students who identify with a disability and we really wanted to change that. As a person with a disability, I was greatly impacted by the results of the Climate Survey and knew I had to do something about it. Thankfully, I am a SUNY Disability Ambassador, so it was decided that this would be my project this semester.”
Anzalone has been working hard at creating this club since the start of the spring semester; she has also been able to get faculty along with the idea. Faculty included in the pending club is the faculty advisor Amy Fisk, Assistant Dean for Accessibility.
Anzalone also stated the intentions behind her personal reasoning for creating the club:
“The intent of this club is to provide students who identify with having a disability the opportunity to connect with students who identify in the same way while also creating an environment where students can come and learn how to be a better ally to the disability community.”
Anzalone also stated that there are hopefully going to be guest speakers to give testimonials as well as events that will help connect everyone.
For those who are interested in joining the club or want to become more of an ally to those with disabilities, consider taking the student interest survey to further encourage the club. Anyone is welcome. As of this point, there have been 20 people who have responded to the survey put out by Anzalone. To gain a more diverse variety of opinions on the name of the club there is a QR code included. It is also linked in the Geneseo Accessibility Services Instagram, @Geneseo_accessibilityservices.