Lindsay Athamanah is an associate professor of special education in UMSL’s College of Education. (Photo by August Jennewein)
Without fail, when Lindsay Athamanah attends the spring commencement ceremony for the University of Missouri–St. Louis College of Education each year, it brings a tear to her eye. Seeing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities walk across the stage and graduate with their chancellor’s certificate or degree is, to put it mildly, an incredibly rewarding feeling.
“It just makes me feel good when the students with disabilities are able to do that, and I think that we’ve given them that chance and that opportunity to achieve something they may never have thought they could have done,” she said. “It does warm my heart that they are able to then move on and have great experiences.”
Athamanah, now an associate professor of special education in UMSL’s College of Education, worked as a speech language pathologist for 10 years before returning to school for her PhD in special education. While working in Chicago Public Schools, she found herself asking what happened to students with disabilities after they graduated. The outcomes weren’t always great – many ended up in nursing homes or assisted living without jobs – and Athamanah felt called to help change that path.
“I value people’s right to work and dignity of life and believe that everybody should have a chance to have an improved quality of life,” she said. “One of the things that enhances your quality of life is having a job and being able to say, ‘I have a job, and I have a home, and I contribute to society.’ I like knowing that I’m helping students and individuals with disabilities to get that chance to say that, and to be able to be part of everyday life and improving their own quality of life. It’s a long game – it’s not immediate – but it’s definitely celebratory seeing the students as they move through the program and then moving on to their own productive and eventful lives.”
Athamanah moved to St. Louis to work at UMSL in 2019 and has been with the College of Education since. She values the collaborative environment within the College of Education and the Office of Inclusive Postsecondary Education, which she knows is something not to take for granted. And she’s incredibly proud that UMSL has become a leader in inclusive post-secondary education. The university was recently awarded a $2.4 million grant to continue expanding its Succeed Program, which is designed to help students with intellectual disability develop academic, living, social and vocational skills as they work toward a two-year Chancellor’s Certificate, industry-recognized credentials or a degree program of their choice.
“Our programming pushes for students and individuals with disabilities to be able to learn skills and get needed credentials and degrees to be able to become prosperous and important people in their community,” Athamanah said. “I think it’s a very neglected area of potential employees that employers don’t necessarily tap into because they may not know what they’re capable of. We’re trying to change that and trying to push that forward.”
Athamanah and her colleagues work with all pre-service teachers, who take five special education courses – which, as Athamanah notes, is far more than they are required to take. She hopes that giving UMSL students the opportunity to have positive experiences with students with disabilities will improve their outlook.
“I usually have at least a couple students every semester who say, ‘Well, I could use these techniques and these teaching activities with kids without disabilities,’” she said. “And I’m like, ‘Yes, yes, you can. You can apply them across the board.’ Having them make those connections makes me feel good as a professor, because then I’ve done my job.”
Athamanah was recently recognized for her work with Emerson’s Excellence in Teaching Award. The annual program, which began in 1989, honors instructors throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area who are selected by their school administration for their commendable dedication and profound impact to their students and school community. Athamanah feels the award is a nice way to spotlight UMSL in the St. Louis area and bring more attention to the important work being done by the College of Education.
April Regester, associate professor of inclusive education and chair of the Department of Educator Preparation and Leadership at UMSL, said that Athamanah brings a passion, drive and commitment to her teaching that is incredibly compelling and contagious. In nominating her for the Excellence in Teaching Award, she highlighted Athamanah’s authentic and unique expertise as a speech-language pathologist, promotion of community-engaged learners and collaborative partnerships and inclusive education practices.
“With her experience as a speech-language pathologist in one of the country’s most diverse public school systems, she knows what preservice teachers need to become high-quality teachers who embed evidence-based practices within the classroom,” Regester wrote. “She provides first-hand knowledge about students with disabilities, including information on the special education qualification process, how to conduct assessments and how to write individual education programs for students with various disabilities. She knows how to collaborate with school professionals and culturally and linguistically diverse families to provide the highest quality care for the students.”
