Postponed concert raises awareness for disabilities

Dozens of students and community members gathered in Dunn Meadow on Sunday for sunshine, music and fundraising.

IU’s Peer Undergraduate Mentor Program collaborated with the Office of Disability Services for Students to raise money for the Amanda Meredith Mills Memorial Scholarship fund.

Each year, Indiana celebrates March as Disability Awareness Month. This year’s theme was “Community Connections,” which aims to feature a growing community in which people with disabilities live successful, independent lives. The concert was originally scheduled for March, but due to inclement weather, was moved to April 14.

As an end to IU’s Culture of Care Week and a kick-off to Little 500 week, this brainchild of graduate student Rhajaan Edwards is the first concert the Office of Disability Services for Students has initiated for its annual fundraising event.

The concert featured a multitude of different acts and activities.
In addition to free food, Frisbees and beach balls, a diverse selection of musicians performed, including Sean Cortright, Jiridon, Isaac Lightfoot and Crescent
Ulmer.

Ulmer, a local folk artist of Bloomington, was the most recent act that signed on to perform at the concert. She has worked with this type of fundraising before and said she was excited to do it again.

“I think this is incredible, and I’m really stoked to be a part of this,” Ulmer said. “This is going to a really great cause.”

Graduate student Tanner Terrell serves as a DSS coordinator and ensures IU students with disabilities “receive equal footing in the classroom.”

These services can include extended test-taking time, copies of class notes and special study-aid programs. Terrell also works outside the classroom as a staff adviser for the Peer Undergraduate Mentor Program.

“A big part of this is getting to interact with people, talking to people about these topics,” Terrell said. “We want to raise awareness. We’d be thrilled to just sit and talk to somebody and try to break down some misconceptions about this very diverse community.”

In addition to providing accommodations for students, DSS also connects with the community members by informing them about the range of disabilities students can possess and attempts to break down common misconceptions of those disabilities.

“It’s amazing to think about the variety of disabilities students have,” Terrell said. “All those things are different from one another and the experiences each student has is very unique. At IU, they’re all under our umbrella. Just getting to talk to people about that is pretty powerful.”

For PUMP, one of the co-sponsors of this event, the concert was its first major function since its re-emergence in 2012.

This organization pairs student mentors with other students who are struggling with their college transitions. Though primarily geared towards students with disabilities, PUMP’s services are available to all students.

While DSS primarily accommodates students on an academic scale, PUMP provides students with personal mentoring.

Junior Bridget Hogan, a PUMP student coordinator, says the organization is open to any student having difficulties.

“We’re not going to turn anyone away,” Hogan said. “We’re very open to helping anyone.”

PUMP currently has 10 mentors and four mentees and has plans to continue its growth in coming semesters.

Freshman Var Brynildssen is a first-time PUMP mentor. He is the only freshman mentor and said he will continue to be a mentor for all four years of college.
Brynildssen is not only a PUMP mentor, but he also utilizes the DSS. Born with arthrogryposis, a congenital disorder that causes multiple joint contractures,

Brynildssen uses the DSS when he needs accommodations for his academic work.
“I think it’s a really useful asset, and it’s real important to use them if you have any kind of disability,” Brynildssen said. “There are accommodations available for you if you need them.”