On April 9th, 2025, UCLA’s Disability Studies program hosted a virtual alumni panel that brought together graduates of the Disability Studies program to reflect on how disability studies shaped their academic and professional journeys. The event offered an opportunity for current students to directly engage with alumni working across various fields, including education, theater, and clinical psychology, on their reflections and impact of disability studies. The panel featured Quinn O’Connor, Josh Yen-Ho Chou, and Zhe Zhang, who each brought thoughtful perspectives rooted in their diverse journeys.
O’Connor, who is currently a theatrical producer in Los Angeles and will be attending Yale’s MFA/MBA program in the fall, discussed how disability studies encouraged them to reimagine representation and storytelling and challenge traditional frameworks. They talked about how the program helped them reframe disability beyond the medical model of disability. At UCLA, they majored in theater and minored in disability studies, where they conducted a capstone project on access in performance spaces in Los Angeles. As an undergraduate, Quinn completed their DS internship with East West Players, where they helped spearhead an ASL interpretation program.
Yen-Ho Chou, who is currently a clinical psychology PhD student at the University of Massachusetts Boston, emphasized how the program gave him a social justice foundation, which he applies in healthcare and research spaces. At UCLA, he majored in psychobiology with minors in global health and disability studies. He credited the DS101W course as pivotal in reframing how he understood disability through both critical and intersectional lenses. Josh described his work at the UCLA PEERS Clinic, where he served as a dating coach and later as a clinic coordinator as a recent graduate. His clinical and research efforts centers on social skills development, supporting the emotional well-being of autistic individuals, and developing pedagogy to support teachers who work with autistic children in school through a neurodiversity-affirming lens.
Zhang, who is currently a PhD student in the Special Education: Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Teachers College, Columbia University, reflected on how disability studies opened up a new framework to understand disability by focusing on the social model of disability. At UCLA, he majored in statistics with a minor in disability studies. Zhang explained how the disability studies program empowered him to recognize his strengths and ultimately apply to a PhD program in special education. He spoke about how his background in statistics and data analysis has been valuable, especially in advocating for more inclusive educational practices.
The alumni panelists also addressed the reality of transitioning to graduate or professional life after UCLA. They emphasized the importance of creating a supportive social network, advocating for oneself, and including the insights gained from the program in spaces that may not yet be inclusive and accessible. Whether pursuing graduate degrees or entering the workforce, alumni noted how disability studies has been an acknowledged asset that enhances both through their critical thinking capacity and strengthens their commitment to equity and accessibility.
We would like to thank our panelists for making the time to speak with our current Disability Studies students.
