The Office of Disabled Student Services (DSS) will be hosting a celebration in the Loker Student Union Ballroom on Wed., April 16, from 3 to 5 p.m. in honor of their 40 years of service on the California State University, Dominguez Hills campus.
In addition to celebrating the 40th anniversary of DSS, the event will also recognize the students with disabilities graduating in May and professors who have been nominated by DSS students for being outstanding professors.
Founded in 1974 by alumnus and emeritus director of student development Larry Gray (1970, B.A), DSS began with one staff position and two student assistants serving only 10 students. Today, the office staff has grown to include, director, Patricia Ann Wells, who has worked with DSS for 30 years; associate director Deborah Parham, three full-time disability management advisors, two part-time staff sign language interpreters, one staff testing facilitator, and one assistive technology facilitator.
This larger staff is able to serve more than 680 undergraduate and graduate students with mobility, visual, hearing, learning, psychological, medical and or physical disabilities and fulfill DSS’s mission to make CSU Dominguez Hills programs and facilities obtainable for all the students, allowing them full access.
For more information about “Rolling Out the Red Carpet” celebration, to RSVP, contact Mace Porotesano at (310) 243-3660 or mporotesano@csudh.edu.
Article written by Wyahee Tucrkile is a freshman majoring in Communications.
