Duke Energy supports UC Clermont sensory, meditation rooms

The University of Cincinnati Clermont College recently received $10,000 from Duke Energy to enhance Accessibility Resources available to students.

The gift from Duke Energy will be used to purchase items needed to outfit both a sensory room and a meditation room at the college. This will allow students with sensitivity needs to reset between classes, helping to improve their academic success and overall experience on campus.  

“Most commuter students find the library or student lounge great places to relax with friends or study,” said Meghann Littrell, director of Accessibility Resources, UC regional programs. However, for students with sensory challenges, those environments are not ideal. Over the years, students have been discovered in restrooms, vehicles and hallway corners looking for places of solitude to study, eat lunch, decompress or reenergize.

“The sensory room will support our neurodiverse students by allowing them to utilize coping skills in a safe environment,” Littrell said. “The meditation/wellness room will provide a quiet, dark area with indirect lighting where students with anxiety, autism, ADHD, post-traumatic stress disorder or sensory challenges can decompress when they are feeling the pressure of a fast-paced environment.”

UC Clermont received an initial gift of $100,000 from a private in 2019 to start this transformation project. Duke Energy’s gift will allow the college to complete this project and open the rooms to students in the 2021–2022 academic year.

“The Duke Energy Foundation works to create powerful communities, and we are pleased to make this strategic investment to enable all students with an opportunity to excel,” said J. Chad Shaffer, Duke government and community relations manager. “The Accessibility Resources program at UC Clermont advances economic inclusion by helping students with disabilities achieve their academic goals and successfully transition to the workforce. Duke Energy is proud to partner with UC Clermont as a key regional partner educating the next generation of leaders.”

To learn more about Accessibility Resources at UC Clermont, visit https://ucclermont.edu/students/accessibility-resources.html.