During the last week of June, MSU hosted “Grandparents University,” a program put on by the MSU Alumni Office. Grandparents and their grandchildren come to campus, stay in the residence halls, eat at the dining halls, and enjoy lots of programming.
This year, RCPD specialists Hannah Huey-Jones and Jessica Lutz facilitated four sessions for approximately 40 participants. The focus of the program was learning about barriers that disabled folks face every day and figuring out how to remove those barriers (what RCPD specialists do with students & employees every day!). The families first learned a bit about disability, including apparent and non-apparent disabilities, what ableism is, and talked about barriers disabled people face every day.
The main event of each session was an escape room, where grandparents and their grandchildren were given puzzles that had a barrier, making the challenges difficult to complete. Participants had to use resources in the room to solve each puzzle. The objective of this activity was to help the families to start thinking about barriers and how to remove them so that when they return to their schools and communities, they can better help their friends and neighbors.