45 Student Support and Service Delivery
Accessibility Supports at Fall Career and Connect to Careers Job Fairs
At McMaster’s Fall Career Fair and Connect to Careers Job Fair, additional volunteers were present at the accommodation booth to provide one-on-one wayfinding support and assist students in engaging with employer booths. Volunteer training also included AODA customer service training.
Contributors: Student Success Centre: Careers and Employment (Gisela Oliveira, Katherine Hesson-Bolton, Jacqueline Hampshire, Teresa Finelli, Melanie Waters, Camila Ruiz Tacha)
Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) Program Updates
Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) provides career support and inclusive resources to McMaster students and alumni who have graduated within the past five years, who identify as people with disabilities or as having been forcibly displaced. In 2024–2025, CAPS supported 246 active clients and collaborated with campus partners and networks to advance accessible career development.
CAPS is an active partner on the Accessible Teaching and Learning Roadmap STEER/R project, contributing wage subsidies, student and alumni honoraria, recruitment support, and outreach.
The CAPS manager participated in the Accessible Education Fellowship Cohort, engaging with researchers and contributing to the review of AODA post-secondary education recommendations. These sessions informed the team’s work toward a future CAPS research project.
To strengthen service delivery, CAPS completed a review of accessible career services across community agencies and post-secondary institutions. As part of continuous improvement efforts, a new career development advisor role was introduced.
Contributors: Student Success Centre: Career Access Professional Services (CAPS) (Gisela Oliveria, Katherine Hesson-Bolton, Jillian Perkins-Marsh, Cassie Fischer, Tanya Kett, Andrea Abeysekara)
Mactivate: A Low-Barrier Wellness and Exercise Program
Mactivate: Your Mind, Body & Spirit is a low-barrier exercise and wellness referral program at McMaster University designed to support students experiencing mental health challenges or difficulty accessing fitness independently. Delivered through a partnership between Athletics & Recreation and the Student Wellness Centre, the program promotes safe, inclusive, and accessible physical activity to enhance overall well-being. Over the course of eight weeks, participants receive personalized support, including sessions with a trainer, structured goal setting, and ongoing follow-up. By reducing barriers and building confidence, Mactivate helps students develop sustainable activity habits while supporting improved mental health and strengthening their connection to campus recreation spaces, such as The Pulse.
Contributors: Athletics & Recreation (Lee-Anne Wilson, student volunteers)
New Accessibility Criteria and Supports for Welcome Week 2025
For Welcome Week in August 2025, all events were evaluated against new accessibility criteria developed to prioritize inclusive student engagement in transition activities. Using the Welcome Week website, students could filter and discover events that aligned with their preferred participation style.
Participation categories included:
- High noise environment
- Medium noise environment
- Low noise environment
- High physical exertion
- Medium physical exertion
- Low physical exertion
- Indoor event
- Outdoor event
- Uneven terrain
- Seating available
- Limited seating
- Standing room only
For groups planning events, an events accessibility checklist, is provided as a resource to support the integration of EDIA into all programming.
Contributors: Student Success Centre: Transition, Retention and Student Success (First-Year Experience) (Sean Beaudette, Adam Moniz, Julia Millington, Danielle Collado)
Therapy Dog and Animal Visits During the 2024–2025 Academic Year
McMaster University Libraries continued to strengthen student wellness programming through regular animal-assisted support visits. Weekly sessions featuring certified therapy dogs, alongside visits from Theo the cat, became a popular and well-attended opportunity for students to de-stress, recharge, and connect during periods of high academic pressure. These visits further reinforced the library’s role as an inclusive space that supports both academic success and student well-being.
Contributors: McMaster University Libraries (Nancy Waite)
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