Stephanie Hierbaum (’02)
When you look back at your college experience, you want to remember it as a rich, full and happy one. Finding an ideal balance of support and challenge can help to build the self-confidence you need to succeed. That is the goal of Gonzaga’s Disability Resources Education and Access Management (DREAM) office for every student, and thanks to the recent donation made by Mark and Marsha Hierbaum, whose daughter, Stephanie (’02) attended Gonzaga with DREAM support, this balance will become even more accessible.
The Hierbaum’s gift has allowed the DREAM office to develop an inclusive Academic Testing Center so that students with or without disabilities can take proctored exams in a quiet, comfortable environment. Their gift will also allow DREAM to begin work on a Strategy, Tools and Resources project called Stephanie’s STAR. This project involves individualized sessions with students and DREAM representatives to help with everything from school-life balance, learning strategies and just making sure the student is having fun. These sessions can be instrumental in the experience of students with attention, autism spectrum or chronic health conditions, but like many technologies that were originally developed for persons with disabilities; they can be useful for other populations as well.
Kathryne Shearer, Director of DREAM said, “We’d like to find a way to license and offer those in a more inclusive way, on a campus wide basis.” She added, “The university administration has been so supportive and there has always been funding for legally-mandated accommodation. Financial support from benefactors helps us go to a whole other level of inclusion, creating a welcoming campus culture for all students, particularly those with disabilities.”
DREAM by the numbers:
- 10% of the undergraduate population has declared a disability
- 550 students are served by DREAM You can help to further the DREAM at Gonzaga by making a gift to the program today.
You can help to further the DREAM at Gonzaga by making a gift to the program today.