Feature News Article

As part of my PCM 300 (Professional Writing) course, I wrote a feature news-style story. This article is fictional and will not be published; it's just a sample of my writing ability. It's written in a style intended for a school newspaper.

Disabled Alverno Student Shares Her Success Story

Making eye contact. Checking email. Arranging meetings. Remembering names and faces. These things don’t come naturally to people with Asperger syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, Asperger syndrome is typified by social awkwardness, intense focus on certain hobbies or subjects, and increased sensitivity to sensations such as light, touch, and sound. Alverno student Jane Doe (not her real name) has endured a lifelong struggle with its challenges.

“I’ve had support through elementary, middle, and high school, but when I decided to go to college, I knew I needed something big to help me get through,” she said. “I’ve been working with my disability for years, but college was the biggest challenge yet.” She investigated her options and found help through a special service offered at Alverno.

Alverno’s Office for Student Accessibility has been aiding students with disabilities since its launch in 1995. Its coordinator, Colleen Barnett, meets with students to tackle a variety of issues, such as learning disabilities, chronic medical problems, and sensory and mobility problems. She employs a wide range of strategies for assisting students which includes alternative testing, tutors, physical access, advocacy, and coaching, as listed on the Alverno website.
“Since I’ve started college, I’ve met weekly with Colleen. Her feedback and assistance has helped me through a lot of tough situations. For example, in my freshman year she helped me get a quiet room for math testing and found an algebra tutor that helped me understand the work. I don’t think I would have been successful if she didn’t intervene,” Doe explains.

Doe is now a senior and is planning to graduate in fall 2009. “I’m really excited that I’ll be graduating soon. I would have never gotten as far as I have without the support offered through Colleen Barnett,” said Doe. “So many assignments – maybe even courses – would have slipped through the cracks in my earlier semesters. Now that I’ve learned how to communicate my needs and concerns effectively to my instructors, I’ve become a much more capable and independent student.”

Students interested in the disability support services can visit Alverno’s webpage for more information: http://www.alverno.edu/campus_resource/Academic_support/disability.html.