Editor’s note: People of UW is a human interest series produced by features editors. The series aims to highlight a student at the University of Wisconsin making an impact on the campus community. These Q&As are lightly edited for clarity and style.

What are you studying at the University Wisconsin ? What draws you to those fields?

I’m a senior majoring in philosophy and have a certificate in data science. I think philosophy shows you a really interesting outlook on how to think about things and data science provides you with the tools to analyze certain ideas.

For people who don’t know, what is the Disability Cultural Center?

The DCC is an affinity space on campus, where students who identify with having a disability or any form of chronic illness can come and exist in a space that’s comfortable for them. We do a lot of cultural programming in the sense of promoting and creating an environment where you can talk about disability and specifically engage in disability justice on campus. I think it focuses a lot on uplifting students who identify with this identity.

What do you do as an intern for the DCC?

I’m one of three interns at the Disability Cultural Center this semester. Our supervisor, Helen, focuses a lot on consistent semester programming. For example, every week on Fridays we have an event called ‘crafternoon’ where you can just spend some time doing arts and crafts in the space together with other students.

Each of the interns are focusing on a specific semester project that’s important to them. Usually related to whatever they want to see happen on campus. This semester, we have a variety of projects in the making. For example, I’m thinking about creating long term resources for students with disabilities who want to apply to graduate school.

What is the importance of what the DCC does for the UW community?

I think it does a lot for increasing representation of students with disabilities. It reframes the idea of disability in a positive way in a sense that on this huge campus you can find a community of people who have had those same experiences as you. I think it goes beyond other affinity centers in the sense that it doesn’t matter what your race or sexuality or religion is, you are relating on something that’s on a completely different axis than that. So, I think it does a lot to bring people together that have very different experiences over this one shared experience.

What is your favorite part about being an intern for the DCC?

I really enjoy the outreach opportunities that we get. I’ve done some really cool stuff with the Wisconsin Energy Institute and the School of Nursing, and these are opportunities I would have never gotten if the DCC didn’t exist and didn’t focus on promoting their interns as much. There’s a plethora of really interesting opportunities, and I really enjoy working with my co-workers and my boss as well.

How can students get involved with the Disability Cultural Center?

Following the instagram, @UW_Disability, is a great first step in figuring out what events are happening. Then, just coming and attending the events is the best way to get to know the community. We have an upcoming field trip to see the play Romeo and Juliet put on by actors who are all deaf. Otherwise, we have our weekly programming like ‘crafternoons’, or yesterday we had an author come in to talk about a book that she wrote. All these opportunities are available through Instagram, so just following and showing up to events that are of interest to you is the best way to get involved.

What is your favorite spot on campus?

I would say the Multicultural Student Center at the Red Gym or the University Club.

What’s next for you after graduation?

I’m not 100% sure. That’s the big senior year question, but I’m looking to apply to graduate school.