We hope you enjoy this series where we meet and get to know employees from across campus. Would you like to be featured? Contact us at campusnews@csufresno.edu.

Name: Belen Vera
Title: Access Specialist
Department: Services for Students with Disabilities
Academic Degree(s):

• B.A. psychology, with music minor, Fresno State
• M.S. counseling and student services, with an emphasis in higher education, Fresno State
• Pupil Personnel Services Credential, Fresno State

How long have you worked at Fresno State and in which offices have you worked?
I have been here for five-and-a-half years and I have worked in the same office this whole time.

Are you a Valley native?
I was born in Fountain Valley, but I have lived in Fresno since I was five.

Are you part of a Bulldog family with generations of Bulldog graduates or current students?
Yes. Me and my husband are both two-time alumni. My sister and her husband attended this campus, and she is currently completing her masters program. On my husband’s side, all three of his brothers and their wives attended here, and I also have two nephews currently attending for their bachelor's degrees, and I hope many more will too. It’s safe to say we are a Bulldog Family.

Do you have a campus mentor or someone who has helped you in your career?
Tanis Matlock-Elder. We started together as resident directors in the residence halls about 10 years ago, and even though we took different paths after that position, we are both on campus now and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I appreciate her leadership, caring nature and always being willing to listen. She has helped mentor me professionally and personally, and I often look to her for guidance and support and she never fails to provide both. Thank you Tanis.

Tell us about your department and what people may not know about it.
Our department serves about 3% to 5% of the student population here, so some folks may know quite a bit and others may not know a whole lot about our department. For those who don't know, we serve students with both temporary and permanent disabilities. This includes: learning disabilities, physical disabilities, mental health disabilities, intellectual/developmental disabilities, chronic medical conditions and more. The majority of our students are students with invisible disabilities, like learning disabilities and mental health disabilities. We are working hard as an office to destigmatize our services and to promote these vital services to students who may not even realize they could qualify for support. Follow us on our new Instagram: @fs_ssd.

What are you most passionate about in your field and why?
Working with faculty and staff to understand that when they make changes to accommodate students with a disability, they could accommodate everyone. Closed captions are great for more students than just those with hearing impairment/loss. Parents who may need to watch videos while their kids are asleep, or those traveling a noisy bus, students whose second language is English, students who may take more time to process information, visual learners, etc., all benefit from closed captions. Elevators are used by everyone, not just by those who use wheelchairs. There are so many more examples, but I will stick with those two. Removing barriers is not about making things easier, it’s about allowing more individuals to come to the table and feel comfortable there with you.

What is a memorable moment you had at your job?
I feel blessed to have been a nominee for the 2022-23 Outstanding Advisor Award. Anytime students choose to go out of their way to do something, it is extremely appreciated.

What is your favorite quote or saying?
"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not in the branch, but in her own wings."

What do you like to do for fun in your spare time?
I love spending time with my husband and our daughter. She is one, and watching her learn how to do everything is absolutely the best.

What is something interesting about you that most people don’t know?
I would say most of my students are not aware that I was a music minor as an undergrad and that I was a member of the Bulldog Marching Band from 2007-10. That is, unless they catch the vintage shako sitting on the shelf of my office.

Is there something else you would like to share that was not asked?
Don’t be afraid of our office. The word disabilities doesn’t need to be a negative word. In fact, we hope that "disability" will be included in the diversity conversation more and more as we progress through this 33rd year of the passing of the American Disabilities Act. We hope that one day students talk about our services as openly and as positively as other offices on campus. Additionally, there can be lots of questions that students, staff and faculty may have about what our office does or how we do what we do, and we are happy to share. Please let us know if you’d like a presentation or if you’d like to attend a meeting with our office. Feel free to reach out to me at belenvera@csufresno.edu.