What strategies used to recruit other underrepresented groups could be repurposed for use in recruiting students with disabilities to your program, institution, or department?

Date Updated
05/23/22

Many programs, institutions and departments have strategies that they use to recruit individuals from underrepresented groups such as women and racial/ethnic minorities.  Many of these strategies can be adapted for recruiting individuals with disabilities. For example:

  • Offer funding to create internships for students with disabilities.
  • Make recruitment materials welcoming by including pictures of individuals with disabilities and language that they are encouraged to apply.
  • Ensure websites and application materials are accessible.
  • Educate faculty and staff on the needs of students with disabilities, how they can be included in the program, the benefits to working with these students, and disability culture.
  • Include someone with a disability on your recruiting and leadership team.
  • Use peer recruitment practices.
  • Share recruitment materials with disability services and veterans services offices.
  • Host field trips for high school students with disabilities to visit your department or lab.

For additional information and ideas for recruiting students with disabilities, consult Student Learning Communities: A Promising Practice to Recruit STEM Students with Disabilities and The Center for Emergent Materials: A Promising Practice in Training Faculty to Mentor Undergraduates with Disabilities in Research.