Westminster College Psychology Professor Brings the "Real World" to Class

Dr. Mandy Medvin, associate professor of psychology at Westminster College, brings a touch of the "real world" to her Exceptional Children class with various speakers.

"You can read the text, but I really don't know anyone who has these disabilities," said Megan Chandler, junior Christian education major from New Castle. "The people Dr. Medvin invites in bring life to the books and give us a real world' experience."

"This class is a good learning experience," said Tracy Gessleman, sophomore psychology major from Cheswick. "I've never had a class like this one - her class is like a seminar class where we do the talking to others."

"I enjoyed listening to Sonya Wagner," said Chandler. "She was blind from birth, but she adapted, and could tell us how the adaptations really worked."

"The speech therapist told us what she does each day," said Gessleman. "I was shocked to hear that her office was a cart in the hallway. Imagine, teaching a specialized field in a noisy hallway. It's not what I would want to do."

"Bringing in people who will talk freely about their experiences helps to dispel the many myths about people with disabilities," said Medvin. "I also bring in people who work with individuals with disabilities. They describe issues that give students a slice of what working in the field is really like."

"The speakers also changed my mind about people with impairments," continued Gessleman. "They can do things I never imagined."

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