Welcome to
Disability Studies Convocation!
We’ll be starting shortly.
Program
Accessibility (Joanne Woiak)
Welcome Remarks by Heather Evans
Graduation Video
Presentation of Graduates (Heather Evans, Joanne Woiak)
Awards Presentation (Ronnie Thibault, Sarah Arvey Tov)
Closing Poem (Sara Goering)
Reception
Accessibility
Please scan the QR code to find access information about this event.
Welcome Remarks
Graduation Video
Presentation of Graduates
Disability Studies Minor
Chloe Brause
Early Childhood and Family Studies
All of the Disability Studies classes taught me perspective and gave me a new lens to look through in my everyday life!
I am moving to California and applying to graduate programs to get my Masters in Occupational Therapy.
Maggie Siqi Chen
Psychology
Diversity, Human Rights
Favorite memory: Taking Joanne's classes and getting to spend time with her dog, Chloe!
I will be pursuing a Master of Social Work at Boston College in the Fall, hoping to become a mental health counselor in the future.
Sarah R Crawford
School of Nursing
Future plans: NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) Nurse at Seattle Children's Hospital.
Char Hertel
Dance
Favorite memory: Getting to do the Q and A in Intro to DS class with artist Christine Sun Kim.
They will be participating and performing in the Seattle Festival of Dance and Improvisation in July and August!
Sophie Hulet
Sociology
Favorite memory: Going to a movie night and introducing friends from one DS class to a friend from another DS class. We all had a great time! The meaningful connections I've made through the UW DS program have been such a wonderful and important part of my life, and I know they will continue to be after I've graduated.
I intend on going to graduate school and studying educational equity and accessibility for disabled students. I am also going to continue my disability activism, with a focus on accessible public education about disability and ableism.
Karla Victoria Madera
Education Studies
My favorite disability studies memory was in CHID 332 class, “Disability in Theater and Performance.” Maddie Zdeblick was such a great instructor and influenced me into wanting to take more DS courses.
I will be attending GCU in the fall where I will be getting my Master’s in Sociology.
Sierra Wang
Education, Communities, and Organizations
When I took DIS ST 360 about speculative fiction. I had taken a few courses with Joanne before that, and it was in this class that I really felt respected and challenged by a professor. It was by far the hardest DS class I've taken, but also the most rewarding, because it reminded me why I am passionate about disability justice.
I am planning to attend UW’s Masters in Teaching in the Elementary Teacher Education Program (ELTEP) starting this summer. I wish to become an upper elementary or special education teacher!
Khushi Yadav
Neuroscience
Data Science
My favorite memory was getting to make an abstract art project about something that represented us - it was a great chance to let some creativity out on a fun assignment!
Congratulations!
Disability Studies Major
Elle Findley Armstrong
Barbara Greenberg Distinguished Scholarship in Disability Studies
I always enjoyed attending class with my favorite professors as those were times of community, connection, and thought- provoking discussions. A runner-up memory would be the time my Service Dog, Ranger, removed and played with every single dog toy out of Joanne's office.
I will be pursuing dual masters degrees from UW’s Jackson School of International Studies and the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance.
Congratulations!
Disability Studies Graduate Certificate
Emma Gregg
PhD in Rehabilitation Science
My favorite memories are from the DIS ST writing seminar. It felt simultaneously so relaxed and warm yet incredibly productive, and I always logged off with my brain buzzing (in a good way!)
I will be finishing up my PhD (hopefully) by the end of Summer 2026.
Monica Ellen Thomas
Masters in Library and Information Science
Favorite DS memories: Relaxing with friends, baked goods, and Chloe.
Future plans: Hopefully getting a job, alongside working on the Disability and Accessibility Steering Committee for the Society of American Archivists. I will also be chairing/moderating a conference session this summer.
Doctor of Philosophy
Dr. Christine M. Moeller
PhD in Information Studies
My favorite memory is bonding with my classmates in the theory class. We laughed together and cried together, and built access intimacy in a way I had not previously experienced. I will be forever grateful to everyone for those shared moments and stories.
Future plans: Finding a way to continue this work despite the ongoing chaos. 😠
Dr. Or Vallah
PhD in Art History
Favorite DS memory: Having Chloe the dog attending my section while teaching Introduction to Disability Studies.
Or Vallah successfully defended her dissertation yesterday. She held an AAUW American Dissertation Fellowship and UW President Fellowship, which supported her last year of dissertation writing. She is looking forward to a career in academia/museums. She has an article coming out soon in the Renaissance Quarterly Journal about the early modern disabled artist Hendrick Goltzius. She was also invited to contribute articles to two edited volumes about early modern art and disability.
Congratulations Disability Studies Graduates!
Awards Presentation
Harlan Hahn Endowment Fund Grants
Harlan Hahn Faculty and Staff Grants
Keri DeGroot (Assistant Teaching Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine)
Heather D. Evans (Assistant Professor, Rehab Medicine and Disability Studies)
Heather Feldner (Associate Professor, Rehab Medicine)
Travis Hyde (Program Operations Manager, Disability Resources for Students)
Stephen Meyers (Associate Professor, Law, Societies & Justice, JSIS, Disability Studies)
Joanne Woiak (Associate Teaching Professor, Disability Studies)
Harlan Hahn Student Grants
Emma Gregg (PhD Rehabilitation Science)
Project: "Exploring Disability Identity in Adults with Acquired
Brain Injury"
Jennifer S Perkins (PhD School of Nursing)
Project: “An Exploration of Insulin Use Discourse Among Young
Adults with Type 1 Diabetes and Washington State Policies"
Dennis Lang Award in Disability Studies
Mia E Hoffman
PhD Mechanical Engineering
Favorite Memor: Attending the Patty Berne UW Public Lecture at Seattle Town Hall. I really enjoyed getting to watch friends moderate this panel!
Mia would like to thank her fellow CREATE students, the Disability Studies program, especially Evans and Joanne, her advisors Heather Feldner and Kat Steele, her family - especially her parents Lauren and Kevin, friends, labmates, and partner Jeff for their support.
Alissa Smith
PhD Rehabilitation Science
My favorite memories were spent in discussion with the DS community as a TA and a student. The moment captured here, of shared laughter with classmates I deeply admire, brought some welcome levity to an intense day, and it’s a memory I cherish.
Future plans: Continue my dissertation work exploring disability identity development and navigating the medical industrial complex after newly acquired injury! And eventually, hopefully a teaching-intensive career in academia!
Monica Ellen Thomas
Monica’s research examines who is/not included in archival memory. She presented her MLIS capstone project as an Allen Library exhibit titled, “‘How About Having A Person’: Representation of Intellectual and Developmental Disability in Washington State Archives.” Her DS Certificate capstone work interviewed research professionals working on archival projects related to institutionalized folks with disabilities. She served as the Director of ASUW’s Student Disability Commission this year.
Congratulations!
Acknowledgments
DSP Team Behind the Scenes:
Thank You!!
Advising Staff
Administrative Staff
Making Today Possible
Access Support Team
Convocation Committee
Thank You for Your Generosity
2024-2025 Donors
Closing Poem
Dorianne Laux, “In Any Event”
Read by Sara Goering
In Any Event
If we are fractured
we are fractured
like stars
bred to shine
in every direction,
through any dimension,
billions of years
since and hence.
I shall not lament
the human, not yet.
There is something
more to come, our hearts
a gold mine
not yet plumbed,
an uncharted sea.
Nothing is gone forever.
If we came from dust
and will return to dust
then we can find our way
into anything.
What we are capable of
is not yet known,
and I praise us now,
in advance.
Congratulations Class of 2025!