Written by Payton McPhee

Thumbnail Photo by Saint Mary’s University

For many students at Saint Mary’s University, the difficulties of learning are heightened in some way or another due to the fact that they are learning while also dealing with some sort of disability. As of 2021, SMU has 554 students who are enrolled with The Fred Smithers Centre of Support for Students with Disabilities (FSC). However, there are likely many more students at SMU who are struggling with having a disability in university even though they are not registered with the Fred Smithers Centre.

The Fred Smithers Centre of Support for Students with Disabilities is a service at SMU where undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities can go to gain support, accommodations, and guidance from dependable accessibility and employment advisors. The FSC has a variety of tools and resources for students with disabilities, and they act as a liaison between students and professors to create an environment that enforces equity and equality in the classroom. The FSC is in place to advocate for their students no matter what.

Disabilities come in all shapes, forms, and sizes, and this is acknowledged and respected at the Fred Smithers Centre. While some disabilities are physically visible, others are hidden to the naked eye. Even though some disabilities are constant, there are some that are also episodic or temporary. At the FSC, all disabilities, no matter how they present themselves, are eligible for help and support. Not every disability is visible, but every student with a disability has the right to be supported and accommodated accordingly to achieve equity between all students.

There is a stigma surrounding students with disabilities, and how effectively they can navigate post-secondary education; disabilities can be wrongfully seen as a barrier to continuing studies. Thankfully, the FSC is in place to directly combat this notion. Everyone learns differently, and for students who have a disability the different ways in which they learn might include needing extra support or accommodations ー and this is not a reflection of lesser intelligence. The stigma that students with disabilities face in regard to continuing education is directly seen by the low numbers of graduate students at SMU who are enrolled with the FSC. Many people don’t realize that even though a student may be involved in graduate-level education, they are still able to receive support and accommodations through the FSC. In graduate school, there is pressure for students to be the “cream of the crop” which may lead them to believe that enrolling with the FSC can be seen as a sign of weakness, which is far from the truth.

Students who identify as having a disability of any kind are encouraged to register with the FSC, as there is an abundance of available opportunities. Being enrolled with the FSC gives students the opportunity to have certain accommodations in classes that can help the students perform to the best of their ability. These accommodations are unique to each individual but some might include extra time for exams and tests, having a notetaker, or even being able to write tests and exams alone in the FSC. The accommodations that are offered at the FSC are designed to help each person depending on their unique situation.

Even if a student doesn’t necessarily need specific accommodations, the FSC encourages those with disabilities to register anyway as there are many opportunities to receive bursaries, grants, and scholarships by being registered with the FSC. Because of this, it is recommended to join the Fred Smithers Centre as soon as possible during your university career. Too often, many students delay registering with the FSC until they need specific accommodations, which is shown by 2nd and 3rd-year students having the highest intake rates at the FSC each year. By waiting until classes become too challenging or overwhelming before deciding to register with the FSC, students are missing out on valuable time worth of potential benefits such as academic support and financial grants.

Additionally, students with disabilities are able to receive even more benefits by identifying as an individual with a disability through their Nova Scotia Student Loan Service. If these students show at least $1 of financial need and are Canadian, they are likely eligible to receive $2000 in additional funding each year to put toward their education. In addition, these students may also be eligible for a grant of up to $8000 that can be put toward services and equipment such as note-taking, laptops, headphones, and assistive technology. Notably, students who are coming from out of province to study at SMU likely have similar benefits through their province’s student loans. The benefits of embracing your disability are abundant, and this is something that most students don’t realize.

Another fantastic benefit of the FSC is their ability to provide their student community with beneficial resources by helping students secure psycho-educational assessments and diagnoses. For example, there are many students who have not been officially diagnosed with a disability (but may feel as though they do have one) and the FSC can help; the FSC can provide assistance with securing an evaluation for students by helping to connect them to a doctor for assessment, help secure an appointment, and even possibly help to cover the costs of the assessment. For many students, the costs of a psycho-educational assessment can be a significant barrier to the support they need, but the lack of knowledge of who to ask for help is another barrier that is equally prominent. The FSC is a safe space that is ready to help any student that knocks on their door with any issue that they might need help to overcome.

For those that are interested in joining the Fred Smithers Centre, there are a variety of ways in which students can find out more about their services, resources, and support mechanisms. The FSC hosts an open house twice a year, as well as monthly workshops that may be helpful for students to learn more about the centre. They also host an Accessibility Week in the spring of every year which is geared toward raising awareness for disabilities, and ending the stigma and barriers that are unfortunately commonly present. More information about these services and events can be found on The SMU Bulletin email list, or by contacting the Fred Smithers Centre directly.

No one should feel ashamed to ask for help, and for students with disabilities, the FSC is the perfect place to go. What makes the Fred Smithers Centre so inspiring and welcoming is that they are a community; the FSC is a place for students with disabilities to feel connected with each other, and with the people who are willing to offer them support. Students who are interested in learning more about the Fred Smithers Centre, as well as those interested in registering, can access the centre by email at fredsmithers.centre@smu.ca. More information about the Centre’s workshops and open houses can be found on The SMU Bulletin and Saint Mary’s Today News.

Embracing Your Disability Through Benefits, Accommodations, and Support

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