Overview of the Chronic Illness Initiative at DePaul University School for New Learning

DePaul University launched the Chronic Illness Initiative at the School for New Learning (SNL) in the fall of 2003.   The program, designed to help those with chronic illness get a college education, is in line with DePaul’s Vincentian mission which calls on the university to offer special assistance to students of high potential who have been handicapped by educational, personal or societal obstacles beyond their control. The Chronic Illness Initiative accommodates people with asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), Crohn’s disease, diabetes, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, Gulf War syndrome, heart disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions that have unpredictable and waxing and waning symptoms.   We current have over 200 students enrolled in the program.

Students with chronic illness, who number in the millions, often find their needs neglected.    University-based offices for students with disabilities tend to focus on more easily identifiable disabilities that can be helped by technological aids and existing programs, while the ever-changing needs of those with chronic illness are often misunderstood or overlooked.   We have designed the Chronic Illness Initiative to address these problems.

Contact Information:

Dr. Lynn Royster, Director:  lroyster@depaul.edu

Paula Kravitz, Assistant Director: pkravitz@depaul.edu