In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, colleges and universities quickly transitioned from in-person instruction to online learning, inadvertently overlooking the needs of students with disabilities and "placing them on the backburner 'en masse.'" While eductors have been transferring two months' worth of lesson plans to digital format, disabled students have been left without adequate digital accessibility to succeed in the unprecedented and current remote learning environment. [...]
Higher education has long been seen as a pillar in American life, as an essential element of our economic system and society. But the coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the underlying health conditions of this cultural institution. Many colleges and universities have been struggling to meet the needs of students while also keeping themselves above water financially. While we hope that our lives will return to normal when this crisis is over, it is hard to imagine that higher education will ever be the same. [...]
Just as schools have closed their doors due to coronavirus, charities and non-profit organizations have had to shutter down. While they might suspend board meetings, community fundraisers or award ceremonies, chances are they haven't shut down their scholarship offerings - in fact, many non-profits have extended their scholarship application windows from mid- or late March into April, May or even June. If you've been applying for scholarships this spring and missed out on some March or early April deadlines, check your account - you may find that some scholarships have had their due dates pushed back, giving you more time to submit an application. [...]
