Welcome, Prospective Eagles!
We are pleased that you are considering the University of Mary Washington (UMW) as one of your college choices. We understand that selecting a college with appropriate support services that meet your needs will be an important factor in your decision. Please review our Student Handbook for information about our office, policies we have in place and additional information you may need in order to make your decision. We are happy to answer your general questions by phone, through email, or in-person.
At UMW, the mission of the Office of Disability Resources (ODR) is to work with the university community to increase awareness, eliminate barriers, and create a welcoming and inclusive environment for students with disabilities.
We collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and administrators to promote equity and inclusion through the provision of:
Admissions
The Office of Disability Resources is not involved in the UMW admission process. There is no prescribed formula for gaining admission. UMW works to select the strongest candidates from a high-quality pool. Check out UMW Admissions to receive further information on the admissions process. Disclosing a disability is voluntary and applicants are not required to discuss or disclose disability information during the admission process. However, many applicants with disabilities choose to discuss this aspect of their lives in their personal statement as a way to explain one’s identity and life experiences, or to shed light on skills and aptitudes. Disclosing a disability will not negatively impact a student’s standing in the applicant pool.
Information:
- ODR offers an orientation program called “Step Ahead”at the beginning of every fall semester to students who disclose the summer before. Invites are sent out by email and in the mail mid-July to all students how have provided documentation to the office.
- UMW DiversAbility is a recognized student club through the James Farmer Multicultural Center.
Additional Resources to Consider:
- Students with Disabilities Preparing for Post-secondary Education
- Office of Civil Rights – Letter to Parents
- This letter addresses some concerns for parents and students around the transition from High School to College.
- Open Letter from one Parent to Another
- Jane Jarrow is a Disability Service representative with 30 + years of experience in higher education. She also is a mom looking to make sure her child will receive what she needs in college.