Giving Opportunities at the McBurney Disability Resource Center

The McBurney Disability Resource Center provides services and educational support to UW-Madison undergraduate, graduate, professional and special students with disabilities. Over 2600 UW students are registered with the Center and eligible for some type of disability-related accommodation in classroom activities. McBurney staff also work closely with faculty and staff to ensure that students are able to participate in and benefit from the programs, services and activities that define the Wisconsin Experience.

The McBurney Resource Center Fund

This fund provides program support for the Center’s wide variety of services and activities that are not funded by the program’s annual budget. The Center has been fortunate to have loyal donors who give annual gifts in support of UW students with disabilities. Most recently, the McBurney Resource Center fund has been used to: 1) promote accommodation services offered by the Center; 2) support activities of UW-Madison’s Advocates for Diverse Abilities (ADA), a student organization building awareness about access for individuals with disabilities; and 3) to purchase adaptive technology and resources for individual students. Allocations from this fund are made by the McBurney Director with input from McBurney staff and students.

Make a Gift to the McBurney Resource Center Fund

The Professor James Graaskamp Scholarship Fund

This fund provides scholarships for McBurney students in honor of one of the Center’s founders, Professor James Graaskamp. Scholarship recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, academic achievement, and impact of disability. Many students with disabilities are unable to work while also taking classes as full-time students, and often they may have the additional expense of health care, assistive technology, or personal care services as a result of their disability. Every scholarship dollar received improves the opportunity for students with disabilities to complete their education without the burden of significant debt after graduation.

The Center currently administers seven endowed scholarship funds and awards approximately $25,000 to 15-20 students annually. The average award is $1500. Our goal for the James Graaskamp Scholarship is to double the number of recipients and size of the award available to each student.

Make a Gift to the Professor James Graaskamp Scholarship Fund