The CACTI Blog: My Experience with Disability in Education

By Fernando Paredes, 2022-2023 Policy Fellow

My passion for disability comes from my own lived experience. From a young age, I was diagnosed with ADHD and placed on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) throughout my K-12 career. With this came some challenges and hurdles, including having to repeat grades and not meeting my grade milestones.

While at Pima Community College, I failed several math courses, which delayed my transfer to the University of Arizona by several years. Although I did well in most of my classes, math was a hurdle I could not clear. Semester after semester, I felt discouraged and considered dropping out of college several times.

One day I reached out to the Disability Resource Center at the University of Arizona to see if there was any way to overcome this obstacle. As it turns out, my undergraduate major in Family Studies and Human Development offered course substitutions for disabled students who struggled with math. This moment was a significant weight off my shoulders as I could now progress with my education after experiencing numerous setbacks.

Because of disability campus centers like the Disability Resource Center, I was able to graduate and attend graduate school. As a result, I can now pursue a career that allows me to assist marginalized communities, including those who identify as disabled.

Upon completing my graduate degree this August, I intend to obtain my licensed associate counselor license (LAC) and my license as a vocational rehabilitation counselor (VRC). I plan to remain in a higher education setting to serve the college student population in academic advising and career development roles. As a first-generation college graduate from an underrepresented population, I am committed to promoting diversity, inclusion, and making higher education accessible to historically marginalized groups.

The CACTI Blog features the voices of our interdisciplinary trainees and Community Advisory Council members as they highlight diverse images of people with disabilities and provide community information and advocacy on disability issues. Check Out The CACTI Blog