Seeing a Brighter Future for All
Rutgers–Camden alumna shares how the Office of Disability Services empowered her to advocate for change
Nimit Kaur has been blind since birth. As a young girl growing up in India, she attended a boarding school for blind students because the local public school did not have the resources to help children with disabilities.
"I learned a lot of blindness-related techniques,” said Kaur. “But there were few opportunities for me to participate in mainstream society, so my parents and I decided to come to the United States. My parents firmly believed I should have the same education, opportunities, and independence as my siblings."
Nimit Kaur '23, is currently working as a disability services coordinator for Camden County
Nimit Kaur '23, is currently working as a disability services coordinator for Camden County
After receiving her associate's degree from a local community college, Kaur enrolled at Rutgers University in Camden and reached out to the university's Office of Disability Services (ODS) for support. The ODS was created to ensure equal opportunity, access, and participation in the school’s courses, programs, activities, services, and facilities during students' time on campus and after their graduation. From in-class support and exam accommodations to counseling on entering the workforce after graduation, ODS seeks to empower students like Kaur to become the best, most independent versions of themselves.
For Kaur, a little support was all she needed to shine. In addition to providing accommodations in class and on campus, ODS hired her to assist in the office and conduct outreach. This past May, she graduated with a master’s degree in social work and a 4.0 grade point average. Her peers nominated her to serve as the student speaker at the Rutgers School of Social Work convocation and she delivered her remarks with her loyal service dog – a golden retriever named Chardonnay – by her side.
Kaur, who now serves as disability services coordinator at the Camden County Health Department, said the support from ODS helped her gain confidence and knowledge about her rights as a person with disabilities.
Created by Congress in 1945, National Disability Employment Awareness Month is observed in October. This year's theme, "Advancing Access and Equality," celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which served as the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities in the workplace.
“The world is evolving, and so many people have more rights and access to accommodations than ever before," Kaur said. "But there is a significant gap between people with disabilities and people without disabilities when it comes to employment.”
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for individuals with a disability aged 16–64 was 7.9% in August 2023, significantly higher than the 3.8% unemployment rate for individuals without a disability of the same age.
“Accessibility benefits everyone,” Kaur said. “Regardless of their walk of life, everyone deserves equitable access to education and employment. Inclusion paves a path to equity.”
“Regardless of their walk of life, everyone deserves equitable access to education and employment. Inclusion paves a path to equity.”
Creative Design: Karaamat Abdullah
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