Summary:
In the episode “Access and Disability in U.S. Higher Education” international student mobility experts discuss the state of accessibility for students with disabilities on U.S. campuses.
Share the successes and challenges that international students experience on campus, learn best practices for supporting students, and imagine a future with greater accessibility in student mobility with:

Guests:
Julie Baer, Research Specialist, Institute of International Education (IIE): Ms. Baer serves as an expert on trends in international education mobility on IIE’s Research, Evaluation, and Learning (REL) Team. She works with diverse stakeholders to coordinate research, providing programmatic insights, and engaging with external clients, such as the U.S. Department of State. She leads the “Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange,” a comprehensive resource on international students and scholars in the United States and American students studying abroad for academic credit, and has also led a research study on “International Students with Disabilities,” supported by the U.S. Department of State.

Christine Bilfinger, International Student Adviser, Michigan State University: Ms. Bilfinger is an international student adviser at the Office for International Students and Scholars at Michigan State University. A native of New York state, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she also worked in international admissions, study abroad, and as an international student adviser.

Laurie Laird, Program Manager of National Clearinghouse on Disability and Exchange, administered by Mobility International USA: Ms. Laird has lived experience with a disability and her career includes positions in higher education, international engagement, philanthropy, and non-profit management, with a focus on advancing human rights and social justice as the constant thread in her work. She has managed programs at the Global Fund for Women, Santa Clara University, and the University of Portland.

Resources:
Advising Participants with Disabilities: How to Begin: https://www.miusa.org/resource/tipsheet/begin/.
International Student Orientations & Disability Access – MIUSA: https://www.miusa.org/resource/videos-and-webinars/international-student-orientations-disability-access/.
A World Awaits You - International Students with Disabilities Issue (miusa.org): https://www.miusa.org/resource/books-and-journals/awayinternationalstudent/.