This spring we received 39 nominations for Appreciation Awards! We are glad so many SSD students had great experiences with faculty and staff this semester and took the time to send in their nominations. The full list of nominees is available in PDF form at the following link Clock Award List Spring 2015. The full list of past nominees is available on the SSD Appreciation Award page of our website.
Here are some excerpts from students’ nominations:
“She was especially helpful in making me feel comfortable in the classroom environment, and provided discreet accommodations for me. I was able to excel in her class and enjoy myself, feeling more comfortable than I have in other class settings. She was readily available to help me when situations came up.”
“Over the course of the semester [my professor] reached out to me any time she noticed I was struggling. Each time I came to her for guidance, she graciously and lovingly helped me in any way she could. She gave me so much hope and motivation whenever I was doubting myself, or whatever I was struggling with that day.”
“As an SSD student, I often find it difficult to have conversations with faculty regarding certain accommodations, so I always put it off until a few days before I actually need them (which is a bad habit, I know!); however, before every exam, [my professor] actually reached out to me to schedule it. I just want to let him know that it meant a lot. Sometimes small actions like this really reminded me of how much professors care about their students. He could have easily waited for me to contact him to schedule my exam, but he always reached out to me at least a week in advance. Sending him this clock will hopefully let him know that it is, indeed, the little things that count — whether it is printing out slides for his class, making funny comments, or reaching out to a student in need to schedule her exams.”
“He has been kind to me all semester, and my class and I find him quite humorous. He complied with my requests for extra time for his three exams. He also listens to me, understands me, and he goes above and beyond to help me with my accommodations. He treats me like an equal and doesn’t look down on me because of my disability.”
“This woman is the reason I am registered with SSD, she directed me to SSD when she thought there something wrong with my learning capability. She was a great teacher and always was extremely helpful.”
We are grateful for all the faculty and staff who help create an accessible and inclusive environment for students with disabilities at UT!