What will Delta Alpha Pi do?
Members will meet at least once a month for a chapter meeting and have activities in between those meetings.
Activities might include participating in local service projects that benefit members of the broader disability community, holding teas with scholars that have expertise in disability studies or some aspect thereof, and purely social events.
The service aspect includes members interacting with local and regional non-profits that work with people with a range of disabilities. These might include research or advocacy groups or those that do direct service.
For most members, the time commitment is 2-6 hours per month. Officers may have additional requirements.
What are the benefits of membership?
- Members will have the opportunity to interact with other students across campus on topics of mutual interest.
- Members will have the opportunity to improve leadership skills, serve as a role model for other students with disabilities and help to increase campus awareness of the disability community and its members’ achievements.
- Members may apply for national scholarships
- Graduating members receive gold and blue cords to wear with their regalia.
- All members receive a chapter pin.
How is Delta Alpha Pi related to the other disability groups on campus?
The college, the grad school and some of the professional schools have individual disability affinity groups that serve and advocate for their specific population, working on issues that are sometimes overlapping but sometimes unique to their school. This will not replace that work at all.
Delta Alpha Pi’s focus is much more broad-based and will emphasize service and scholarship.
It is entirely possible and expected that some members of the affinity groups will be part of Delta Alpha Pi. It is also entirely possible and expected that some students that haven’t participated in the other groups will enjoy Delta Alpha Pi.
Requirements to apply
Undergraduates
- 3.1 cumulative GPA.
- 9 or more Yale-earned credits (sophomore standing).
- Students must be connected to SAS in some existing capacity for a documented disability. You don’t have to have accommodations, but you do have to be connected with our office.
- Interest in service and scholarship.
Graduate/Professional
- 3.3 cumulative GPA or better OR equivalent for schools that do not have letter grades. (Fear not, we have a method in mind to prove equivalents.)
- The equivalent of one full year study at Yale (which varies in credits from school to school) EXCEPT for students in 5-year joint Yale programs who may apply after one semester of graduate study.
- Students must be connected to SAS in some existing capacity for a documented disability. You don’t have to have accommodations, but you do have to be connected with our office.
- Interest in service and scholarship.
Application process
Candidates will complete the appropriate form and return it to susan.olson@yale.edu. There are separate forms for the college and the grad/prof community.
We anticipate investing two classes in the spring 2023 term. The first class of members has already been inagurated. This first class will play an integral role in getting the chapter started and established; it will be selected by SAS staff with an eye toward getting a representative group. A second, larger class will be selected later in the spring. This second class will be selected by a committee of the initial class. After this inaugural year, students will typically be selected just once a year.
Questions? Want an application form? Contact Susan Olson at susan.olson@yale.edu