(Photo by: Garrett Lovell)

From classroom to classroom, Student Access Services is leaving lasting impacts on students in need. For every meeting and accommodation created, they unveil new opportunities for students with documented disabilities to get the education they deserve. Access Advisor Megan Kissel explains how Student Services meet with students every day in order to get them the help they need.

“First, we review their application that they put in and then any documentation they provide, and then we meet with a student and kind of talk about what their diagnosis is and how it impacts them,” Kissel said. “Then we can talk through some different accommodations we can put into place.”

Kissel explains that the goal of their work is to remove barriers that exist due to a student’s disabilities.

“We remove, or at least lower, barriers by providing the accommodations,” Kissel said. “ I’ve heard my director say this before, but the goal of our department is to not be needed and so that everything on campus is accessible to all students.”

Access Services culture is inclusive, welcoming, understanding and guiding according to Kissel. She explained how she gets to see the work Access Services provides make an impact on the students they help.

“It’s always great when I hear back from students that maybe they were struggling in a class, but then they got their accommodations put in place, and they can complete their class with no barriers in the way.”

Kissel’s passion for Access Services began because she likes to help. She started in education and liked working with students and feeling like she was making an impact.

“I feel like I can directly help students have a better college experience by working with them, whether it’s with accommodations or pointing them to the many different resources that we have here at JCCC, and just being a point of contact for a student to try to help them in some way throughout their college career,” Kissel said.

Reviewing applications, checking emails, meeting with students and working with professors fill Kissel’s day.

“Definitely meeting with students… whether it’s talking about accommodations they already have, and if we need to update things, or a lot of times we’re meeting with new students and helping them get their accommodations established in their classes–so [it’s] a lot of mostly one-on-one time with students,” Kissel said.

Kissel has set some personal goals for herself within her position: earning her doctorate and finding new ways to help and support students. Kissel is the faculty advisor for the neurodiversity support club, a group open to all types of students.

“It’s a really cool, inclusive, welcoming environment that is just for all students who maybe they identify with the neurodiversity spectrum, or they know someone who does, and they just want to get involved,” Kissel said.

Kissel wants students to know that there may be opportunities for accommodations that they may not have known they needed. Those with ADHD, generalized anxiety disorder, depression and dyslexia may be able to get accommodations.

“I’m always telling students on campus this: a lot of people don’t realize that the majority of our students have more invisible disabilities. That kind of gets people to perk up a little,” Kissel said. “I think just broadening people’s thought on what disability is and that if they feel like they’re impacted by a diagnosis to come and meet with us and we can help.”

If you feel like you may need accommodations, start your application in myAccess.

1. Apply via myAccess and complete the two-page application.
2. Provide and submit documentation of how your education may be affected by your disability.
3. Your application will be reviewed by someone like Kissel. You can log in to your account to check the status of your application.
4. Finally, once your application is complete, you will be able to schedule an appointment with an access advisor.
   • How to schedule an appointment:
     • Log in to your myAccess.
     • Call 913-469-3521.
     • Email [email protected].