Miami University Student Receives 2019 AHEAD Student Recognition Award

Megan Zahneis received the 2019 AHEAD Student Recognition Award on July 13 at the organization's annual conference in Boston. AHEAD, The Association for Higher Education and Disability, is the leading voice for higher education professionals invested in creating welcoming higher education experiences for disabled individuals.

Zahneis helped establish the Students with Disabilities Advisory Council (SDAC), a campus voice for students with disabilities, by students with disabilities.

Under Zahneis' leadership, SDAC has become a force of nature on campus. They've held large-scale campus-wide events drawing large crowds. They've developed a one-on-one mentoring program that pairs new students with another member of the disability community on campus. They've developed resources and presentations that have been highlighted on a national scale. Their signature program, Coffee & Conversations, is designed for students with disabilities to share their experiences and engage in conversation with Miami faculty members. The series is just one example of SDAC's dedication to fulfilling the promise in their slogan "Changing Perceptions, One Conversation at a Time."