November 9, 2011 - 2:10am
Campus Clubs: Abilities Alliance at Ann Arbor
BY MATT CONNOLLY
To most students, a string of five A’s shows high academic achievement on a transcript. But to the members of A5, it represents a club making a difference for students with disabilities on campus.
The Abilities Alliance at Ann Arbor, or A5, is a student-run club that strives to promote equality within the student body by creating a social group for students with disabilities.
LSA junior Andy Clark, co-founder and current president of A5, said by participating in the group, he aspires to foster relationships between students with and without disabilities to create a feeling of acceptance.
“On campus, especially undergraduate students, those with a disability have a hard time creating a social network even with the simple things like eating in the dining hall,” Clark said. “A5 rectifies that by getting people in touch that want to hang out and chill. We are looking to create that social network.”
Business School sophomore Rohit Kapur, another A5 co-founder, spearheaded the creation of the club after an unfortunate firsthand experience dealing with the challenges of a disability.
“I was having trouble getting through to the disability office about shoveling snow,” Kapur said. “I missed classes for two days straight, and no one did anything.”
Frustrated by the lack of response he was getting from the Services for Students With Disabilities office, Kapur decided to take matters into his own hands. His friends shoveled a path from East Quad Residence Hall to the Diag to make his trip to class wheelchair accessible, and the idea for a student organization arose.
The club hosts a monthly event that provides A5 members with the opportunity to meet and participate in social activities like playing board games.
A5 has 37 members, but the club is still in its infancy, and Clark believes the numbers will continue to increase. To increase publicity and attract new members, Kapur plans to have A5 participate in Festifall and Investing in Ability Week next year.
“Even if we change a few lives, it would be a huge benefit,” Kapur said.
