Congratulations to EWU McNair Scholar Kelly Parke who’s been accepted into the University of Illinois Chicago’s interdisciplinary PhD in Disability Studies!
From University of Illinois Chicago’s Program Page:
Disability studies scholars view disability not simply as a defect inside a person, but as a complex relationship between society and people who function differently from the norm.
UIC’s PhD in disability studies program addresses disability in its full complexity, promoting an awareness of disability that supports individuals in shaping their identities and lives. We examine how support services and social and political change can reduce sources of disempowerment.
Disability studies at UIC offers a unique opportunity to study the multilayered, interactional dynamics of disability.
Kelly Parke is a first-generation undergraduate student at Eastern Washington University Graduating this Spring of 2024 with a degree in Anthropology, with minors in Disability Studies and Sexuality & Queer Studies. Kelly’s research interests are related to sexual expression and reproductive rights for people with disabilities, particularly at the intersection of disability with other marginalized identities. For her 2023 Summer Research Internship, Kelly worked with Dr. Ryan Parrey to research the effects of everyday ableist encounters and how they shape the lives of disabled people. After graduating from Eastern, Kelly plans to continue on to a graduate program related to Disability Studies with an emphasis on disability law and policy. We know Kelly will propel any academic program and career path with her integrative social justice and equity passions.
