Saint Francis University Debuts Sensory Room

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/02/21

Saint Francis University in Loretto, Penn., recently debuted a sensory room as space for students with neurodiverse sensory needs. A news release calls Saint Francis one of a “handful of universities” in the U.S. with a specifically dedicated such space.

Saint Francis University Sensory Room
Photo courtesy of Saint Francis University

The room is located in the campus library and includes a variety of equipment and activities—along with instructions and information regarding their benefits—for all aspects of the student population’s sensory needs. Between classrooms, residence halls, dining halls, shared bathrooms and more, a university environment may overwhelm students’ eyes, ears, noses and general sense of wellbeing. Added to potential mental health issues related to being away from home for the first time (not to mention the backdrop of the pandemic), the space is intended to be a soothing, calming environment.

The effort was spearheaded by four fifth-year graduate occupational therapy students as a project for their “Role Emerging Level II Fieldwork Experience” on campus. Working with the university, Centers for Academic Success, the Occupational Therapy Department and the library, the students said that they noticed a student need and planned the sensory room as a problem-solving solution.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Enjoy Tax and Energy Savings with the Right Ceiling Solutions

    Thanks to recent innovations pairing mineral fiber ceiling panels with phase change material technology (PCM), architects, designers, facility managers, and other key players in construction and renovation projects are re-thinking the role ceilings play in supporting environmental objectives—especially energy savings.

  • PNSI Global Alliance Launches New Quality Assurance Certification

    PNSI Global Alliance, a network of technology integrators and service providers, recently introduced a new Quality Assurance Certification (QAC) for AV service and support, according to a press release. The two-day, interactive workshop QAC course is designed for Certified Solution Providers (CSPs) to provide them with the most up-to-date and advanced quality assurance knowledge available.

  • Active Learning Classroom

    Striking a Balance: The Keys to Renovating Science Education Buildings for the 21st Century

    The recent renovation of the Durham Science Center at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) provides a roadmap for facilities managers tasked with balancing budget constraints, modern pedagogical demands, and long-term sustainability.

  • a traditional red brick school building with the right side visibly deteriorated and the left side well-maintained, surrounded by neat landscaping

    Making the Grade: Navigating Funding Uncertainty in K-12 Schools

    School districts across the country must prepare for all possible funding scenarios by analyzing school asset and infrastructure conditions, understanding their funding needs, and developing a proactive maintenance strategy to stretch their funding dollars.

Digital Edition