Mount Allison’s Meighen Centre celebrates 25th anniversary
SACKVILLE, NB — rTVƵ marked the 25th anniversary of its Meighen Centre, a centre dedicated to serving students with disabilities on campus, on October 21, 2019.
“Working with students through the Meighen Centre is an honour. Our staff is humbled by their perseverance, determination, drive, and resilience to achieve great things and become Mount Allison grads and alumni,” says Anne Comfort, Mount Allison’s Director of Accessibility and Wellness, who has worked at the Centre for more than 15 years. “We thank the Meighen Family and Foundation for their visionary philanthropy and support of Mount Allison students.”
Building on programs and services offered on campus since 1988, the Meighen Centre was established in 1994, with a landmark donation from Michael and Kelly Meighen of the then-Themadel Foundation, now the T.R. Meighen Family Foundation. The Meighen Centre was one of the first of its kind among Canadian universities and is nationally recognized for its work with students who have learning disabilities. Several years ago, it expanded its services to include services for students with all types of disabilities, in partnership with the University’s Wellness Centre.
“The Meighen Centre has played a big role in supporting me throughout the last few years,” says third-year Commerce and photography student Sarah Reeder of Calgary, who spoke at the anniversary celebration. “They have helped me navigate through new and challenging situations with professors and peers, given me the accommodations needed to succeed, and have overall helped shape who I am today.”
The Meighen Centre served approximately 50 students annually 15 years ago. Today it serves over 270 students. Centre staff have worked to establish several partnerships with University departments and external organizations including:
• Developing a Return to School protocol for students with concussions with Mount Allison psychology professor Dr. Jennifer Tomes and the department of Athletics and Recreation;
• Working with Dr. Stan Kutcher (Psychiatrist and Canadian Senator) and Dr. Christiana McDougall (Mount Allison sociology) to share best practices on the transition to university with all students via the resources;
• Cultivating an ongoing partnership with Open Sky Co-operative to better support students with autism spectrum disorder;
• Working with Mount Allison’s Office of Experiential Learning and Career Development and the Johnson Scholarship Foundation to facilitate internships specific to Meighen Centre students;
• Offering mental health first aid training and services to the University community.
In addition to serving and working with students over the course of their university careers, the Meighen Centre offers an extensive pre-orientation program, pre-graduation and internship services, runs a lending library of assistive technology, and facilitates test and exam accommodations for students who require them.
Centre staff have also published research around learning disabilities in several academic journals, as well as several smaller articles and research projects on topics including accommodations for students, youth mental health, and cannabis use among students post-legalization (forthcoming).
Over the past quarter century, the Meighen Centre has received additional support from the T.R. Meighen Foundation as well as other alumni and friends of Mount Allison and is now funded primarily through endowments and donations.
See more about Mount Allison’s award-winning Meighen Centre:
Photo captions: Mount Allison’s Meighen Centre staff members: Matt Maston, Susan Waye, Matt Kalichuk, Anne Comfort, and Christine Bezanson. Commerce and photography student Sarah Reeder addresses the crowd at the 25th anniversary celebration of the Meighen Centre, held on campus October 21, 2019.
