Disability volunteers honored

This article originally appeared in the May 17, 1991 edition of The Lantern.

By Samantha G. Haney

Lantern staff writer

Student and organization volunteers from the OSU Office of Disability Services were recognized with certificates of appreciation Thursday afternoon for their dedication to helping disabled students at Ohio State.

“we couldn’t function without the number of volunteers that we have,” said Jim Baker, coordinator of academic support services at the Office of Disability Services. “The office staff can’t provide the necessary services alone," he said.

Baker said the volunteers’ activities include helping students with test-taking, tutoring students and assisting with laboratories. Volunteers also did a survey of building accessibility for disabled students.

OSU President E. Gordon Gee said voluntarism helps build a caring community. “it’s a natural aspect of what we’re about,” he said.

Gee said it is a goal of the university to make all buildings accessible to students even though some of the buildings are old and such changes would be costly.

“I chose Ohio State because of the Office of Disability Services,” said Dan Kelly, a freshman from Akron majoring in music education. Kelly said volunteers are always available to read his texts onto tape and tutor him.

Darrin Lee Bushong, a junior in marketing from Kettering , said the volunteers help students be more competitive and independent in their studies. “A lot of students wouldn’t go to college because of disabilities, but they know Ohio State has a strong volunteer force so they can go here without disability affecting their work,” he said.

Tom Allemeier, an OSU journalism graduate, said the work is very rewarding. Allemeier proctors exams and reads texts to blind students when he volunteers. He said it is important that students are given the support so they can learn independence.

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Caption: OSU President E. Gordon Gee hands out certificates to volunteers for their work with Disability Services. The ceremony was in the Ohio Union East Ballroom Thursday.

A woman shaking hands and receiving a certificate from a man that is dressed in a suit and bow tie. On the right is man in a wheel chair holding a microphone.

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