Veterans With Disabilities

 

The Veterans Success Center and Office for Students with Disabilities work together to provide information and resources to assist our veterans with disabilities on campus, in the community and beyond.

Office for Accessibility Services (OAS)

PennWest Edinboro has a nationally ranked Office for Accessibility Services (OAS) that works in conjunction with the Veterans Success Center to support wounded or disabled military and veteran students as they transition to civilian life and enter the University. Veterans pursuing higher education often have unique concerns related to this transition, and the OAS stands ready to assist in making that transition less laden with obstacles.

At the time veterans apply to PennWest Edinboro, they should also make contact with the OAS should they have needs associated with a service-connected disability. Since each soldier’s experience and situation is different, his/her particular situation is evaluated to determine what assistance can be provided. The University respects the maturity and responsibility associated with veterans and assumes they will seek assistance at their discretion should they feel assistance is warranted.

Contact the Office for Accessibility Services to learn more about the services they provide.

Office for Accessibility Services (OAS)
200 Glasgow Road
Edinboro, PA 16444
Phone: 814-732-2462

Wheelchair Basketball Team

PennWest Edinboro offers disabled student veterans the opportunity to participate in athletics at the collegiate level, with a nationally competitive wheelchair basketball team led by Head Coach Jim Glatch. He has coached at Edinboro for 18 years, leading the 2006/2007 team to the national championship game. From 2009 – 2012, Coach Glatch guided the USA Men’s Paralympics Wheelchair Basketball Team. In 2012, Team USA won its first Paralympic Medal in 12 years while attending the games in London. Coach Glatch has previous experience working with Wounded Warriors, hosting 15 clinics at Walter Reed and Bethesda.

To participate in wheelchair basketball, students need to have a lower-extremity disability. Individuals who don’t use a chair on a regular basis may still qualify to play if they have a lower leg amputation, missing bone in any part of their legs or orthotic disability that doesn’t permit them to participate in able-body basketball.

For more information regarding the Fighting Scots Men’s or Women’s Wheelchair Basketball programs, contact Head Coach Jim Glatch at 814-732-1875 or by email at jglatch@pennwest.edu.

Health and Wellness Needs

PennWest Edinboro offers students on-campus counseling through the Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at Ghering Health & Wellness Center. Staffed with psychologists and counselors, the Center has extensive experience in assisting students with transitioning to an educational environment, traumas and PTSD, depression, anxiety and anger management, just to name a few.

If you would rather speak to a veteran-specific counselor, the Veterans Success Center has an excellent working relationship with the VA and Vet Center in Erie, less than 30 minutes away. In fact, both organizations offer services to students in private settings on campus with no need to travel.

Specifically, PennWest Edinboro has partnered with the VA to provide Telehealth services at Ghering Health & Wellness Center, allowing student veterans to have a private appointment on campus with their care provider via the web.

Contact Us

Veterans Success Center
Crawford Center, Room 208A
200 Glasgow Road
Edinboro, PA 16444
Email: veterans@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-1568

John Christman, Ph.D.
Veterans Success Coordinator
206 Crawford Center
Email: jchristman@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-1557