Kelly Engert, coordinator of Accessibility Services

To the outside public, Seton Hall is known primarily as a residence hall for freshman students, as well as some upperclassmen. What the public isn’t fully aware of is that one of the offices located in this building possesses its own “superpowers.” Niagara University would not be the encompassing and all-inclusive campus it is today without this particular office and individual to lead the charge. Seton Hall is home to the Office of Accessibility Services. This office is committed to creating equal access for all students at Niagara with disabilities. By providing accommodations and support to students with documented disabilities, Kelly Engert, coordinator of Accessibility Services, is truly a “superhero” in her own right.

Kelly started in her position as coordinator of Accessibility Services at Niagara University back in 2012. She started working in the office as a tutor and then went on to become a graduate assistant in the office.

“When a position was open when I graduated, it was a natural fit,” she says. “It is very rewarding to see students come in as freshmen and grow personally, professionally, and successfully.”

To this day, Kelly loves what she does, those she works with, and the students she helps. She leaves a lasting impact on any student she works with, no matter what their story may be.

“For some students, they may need more time on a test. We can easily do that because we do a lot of testing accommodations,” she says. “We work with students with all different types of abilities and all different types of different conditions.”

Besides the legal mandate to have these services accessible to students at Niagara University, the office of Accessibility Services aligns right with the university's mission as a whole.

“It’s just really nice to be able to go into work every single day and be able to help students,” Kelly says.

Accessibility Services is an office under the larger umbrella of the Academic Success Center on campus. The Academic Success Center offers tutoring services, so if any student needs help or assistance with any course, this center provides that free for students. Other services include the Writing Center and Progress Conferencing, a program designed specifically for freshman that request regular meetings during the transition between high school and college.

“It’s great that Accessibility Services is under the umbrella of the Academic Success Center, because everything goes together,” she says. “We all want to help the students of this university be as successful as they can be.”

Niagara University would not be the same without Kelly Engert, as her impact has reached hundreds upon hundreds of students over the years. She will continue to make her mark on the university and advocate for the betterment of students.

Kelly, thank you for your service at Niagara University. You are incredible to say the least!