Dear colleagues and friends of the Disability Center,
The University of Missouri has long been committed to ensuring that students with disabilities are afforded the opportunity to pursue higher education; the Disability Center gives tangible evidence of that commitment. And yet, even with this commitment, there is still much to accomplish. While the mission of our office is, at minimum, to facilitate access for students with disabilities, it also includes a responsibility to help build an inclusive and equitable learning environment, and this requires sustained and persistent effort.
Scholarships create opportunities. Disability Culture Month, faculty mentors and collaborative initiatives with campus colleagues: these are efforts designed to raise awareness, support the student experience, engage with our campus community, and to go beyond providing access and create a university without barriers. And, students deserve accessible, centrally located, quiet and fully equipped space in which to take exams with accommodations.
Achieving all of this depends on the support of many, and the resources to make it happen. I encourage you to be a part of that support by giving to one of the following funds. Thank you.
Cordially,
Ashley Brickley
Director
Access and Inclusion Fund
Access and Inclusion Fund
This fund has been established to support disability awareness programming and activities, such as Celebrate Ability Week, and related events throughout the year, including our most recent campaign: The Future is Accessible.
Give to the Access and Inclusion Fund
Meek Endowment Fund
Established in 2011, this fund is dedicated to providing scholarships to incoming freshmen with disabilities. The fund was established as a gift from the estate of Wanda J. Meek in memory of her son, Kevin Meek, who obtained his bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Missouri in 1981.
Gifts to the Meek Scholarship Fund will build the endowment to expand the number of scholarships available.