Digital Equity and Inclusion Week (DEIW) 2025 is a week-long series of virtual sessions, workshops, and micro-learning events. This Spotlight features UMass Amherst community members, projects, and accomplishments that help improve digital access and inclusion for all.
Got something for us to spotlight? Share campus accessibility stories through this form.
Ava Healy
Ava Healy, a graduate student at UMass Amherst, is championing digital accessibility as the ADA Ambassador for the Office of Equity and Inclusion. In this role, Ava has been dedicated to increasing awareness and access to digital resources across campus. They have created flyers, brochures, and are also working on updating the Accessibility website to provide clear and inclusive information for students, faculty, and staff. Ava also coordinates lunches and gatherings for the UMass community that help build connections and foster conversations around digital accessibility.
Passionate about empowering others, Ava aims to ensure that everyone is aware of the resources available to them and feels supported in navigating accessibility challenges at UMass. In addition, they are working to build a strong, supportive community among graduate students who identify as disabled, creating spaces for shared experiences and mutual encouragement. Through these efforts, Ava is paving the way for a more inclusive and accessible campus for all.
Sophia Deligiannidis and PROPEL
The PROPEL (Promoting Research Opportunities for Equity in Learning) mission is to ensure equitable access to academic and research opportunities for all undergraduate students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Sophia Deligiannidis, a Psychology and Economics undergraduate student, working on behalf of PROPEL is researching how those with disabilities are impacted by the typical research recruitment environment, and how to avoid any discrimination within the new process that PROPEL is innovating.
To enhance web accessibility, Sophia leveraged Siteimprove’s dashboard and reports to resolve and guide ongoing improvements to PROPEL’s website. Additionally, she also devised and implemented a broader strategy by incorporating Disability Services' Clockwork platform. Sophia’s work addressed a critical gap in disability accommodations for students finding opportunities through PROPEL, which typically get registered for by students as independent research or teaching credits in SPIRE. Previously, these “courses” were not covered by the Disability Services Accommodation Plan. Thanks to Sophia’s efforts, an accommodation plan is now sent to mentors, ensuring that students with disabilities receive the necessary modifications or adjustments to fully engage in their research and teaching roles. PROPEL and Sophia’s work are a major step forward in ensuring research opportunities at UMass Amherst are inclusive and accessible for all!