Institute for Disability Studies

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Institute for Disability Studies Welcome to The University of Southern Mississippi's page for The Institute for Disability Studies. We work statewide.

The Institute for Disability Studies is all about people. For over 30 years, IDS has worked to provide technical assistance, training, resources and supports for Mississippians with disabilities and their families. We like to think we are providing pathways to a better life for people of all ages—infants, toddlers, school-age children, youth, workers, parents, families and seniors. Our work is about education, assistive technology, housing, emergency preparedness, health, communities, leadership, policies and much more. At IDS, we believe all individuals are valued, and everyone should be included in their community. We believe families are the best providers of support, care, and love, and services should be person-centered, culturally competent, coordinated and family friendly. Housed for many years on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, IDS has a satellite office in Jackson, the state’s capital and a new Technology Learning Center facility on the Mississippi Gulf Coast rebuilt at The University of Southern Mississippi’s Gulf Park campus in Long Beach following Hurricane Katrina. IDS also has a housing office in Tupelo. Helen Keller said “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” Join us in the journey. Page Disclaimer: While we welcome feedback, comments will be moderated so please be respectful of comments posted by others. Comments containing hate speech or profanity will be deleted.

🏌️ ONE WEEK TO GO! There's still time to join us! ⛳The countdown is on... Our 2nd Annual Institute for Disability Studie...
10/13/2026

🏌️ ONE WEEK TO GO! There's still time to join us! ⛳

The countdown is on... Our 2nd Annual Institute for Disability Studies Golf Tournament, presented by Landry Kitchens Germany Architects, P.A., is NEXT FRIDAY, October 23!

Join us at Shadow Ridge Golf Club for a great day of golf, friendly competition, and some incredible prizes!

🏆 Closest-to-the-Pin & Longest Drive Competitions featuring exciting prizes, including a brand-new Scotty Cameron putter and a United States of Swag golf cooler bag!

🎟️ Golf Prize Raffle featuring over a dozen prize bundles packed with rangefinders, golf balls, hats, accessories, and more!

🥇 Top 3 Teams will take home medals, brand-new golf balls, and, of course, bragging rights!

🎁 Player Swag Bags for every golfer! We'll have you ready for the course with custom swag bags stocked with water, snacks, first-aid essentials, koozies, and other goodies.

📅 Friday, October 23, 2026
🕗 8 AM Registration | 9 AM Sh***un Start
📍 Shadow Ridge Golf Club | Hattiesburg, MS

It's all for a great cause! Every team helps support programs and opportunities for Mississippians with disabilities and their families.

⏳ Help us fill out these last remaining team slots! Gather your team and register today!

👉 Register here: https://commerce.cashnet.com/usmIDS

🍂 Fall is the perfect season to slow down, get creative, and get your hands a little messy! Pottery is more than just a ...
10/11/2026

🍂 Fall is the perfect season to slow down, get creative, and get your hands a little messy!

Pottery is more than just a fun, hands-on activity.

For individuals with developmental and other disabilities, working with clay can offer opportunities to:

🍁 Explore different textures and sensory experiences
🍁 Strengthen fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
🍁 Practice focus, patience, and creative problem-solving
🍁 Express creativity, build confidence, and enjoy a sense of accomplishment

Ready to give it a spin? Our Project START Lending Library has a pottery wheel available to borrow at no cost!

🔗 Reserve it here: https://ids.myturn.com/library/inventory/show/717267

💛 Know someone who would enjoy getting creative with clay? Share this post!

🏈 We have a kickoff time! Now let’s talk tailgating! 💛🖤We're celebrating 50 YEARS of IDS, and you're invited to join us ...
10/08/2026

🏈 We have a kickoff time! Now let’s talk tailgating! 💛🖤

We're celebrating 50 YEARS of IDS, and you're invited to join us for an afternoon of food, football, and fellowship as Southern Miss takes on Arkansas State!

Whether you're a former IDS staff member, an individual or family who has received services or support from IDS, or a longtime friend of the Institute, we hope you'll come back and celebrate with us! 💙

📅 Saturday, October 17, 2026
📍 The University of Southern Mississippi – Hattiesburg Campus
🍖 Tailgate & BBQ: 2–5 PM
🏈 Kickoff: 6 PM | Southern Miss vs. Arkansas State

We'll have the BBQ ready and a limited number of folding chairs available, but you're more than welcome to bring your own!

🚗 GAME DAY PARKING: Parking and traffic patterns will be different from regular campus operations. Please review the official Southern Miss game day parking map before heading our way:
https://dxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net/sidearm.nextgen.sites/southernmiss.com/images/2026/9/2/2026_GameDayParkingMap-01__3_.jpg

📍 Looking for us? Tailgating spots are first come, first served, so we won't know our exact location until setup. Keep an eye on our page the morning of October 17! We'll share photos of our setup and directions to help you find our tents.

💬 Planning to join us? Drop a comment below and let us know!

💛🖤 50 years of excellence. A future of possibilities. !

💼Employment preparation starts long before someone fills out a job application.October is National Disability Employment...
10/07/2026

💼Employment preparation starts long before someone fills out a job application.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and while we’re celebrating inclusion in the workplace, it’s also a great time to talk about what happens before that first day on the job.

For youth and young adults with disabilities, thoughtful transition planning can help build the skills, experiences, connections, and confidence needed to prepare for employment and life after high school.

Our IDS experts shared some of their top transition planning tips for families and students - and if you missed them the first time around, now’s the perfect time to take another look. 👀

💛 Know a student, parent, teacher, or transition professional who could use this information? Share this post and help us spread the word!

IDS is proud to partner with d'Iberville High School and MDRS to serve students through our Transition programs. This wa...
10/05/2026

IDS is proud to partner with d'Iberville High School and MDRS to serve students through our Transition programs. This was a special day indeed. 💙

💼 Accommodations don't have to be complicated, and employers don't have to figure them out alone.Want to support an empl...
10/04/2026

💼 Accommodations don't have to be complicated, and employers don't have to figure them out alone.

Want to support an employee with a disability but aren't sure where to start? Ask JAN.

The Job Accommodation Network provides free, expert and confidential guidance to help employers and employees navigate workplace accommodations. Their online Situations and Solutions Finder includes hundreds of real-world accommodation scenarios to help you discover solutions that have worked for others.

🔎 Search by disability, limitation or occupation: https://askjan.org/sitsol/

As we Celebrate Value and Talent during , let's also celebrate the tools and solutions that help people bring those talents to work. 💛

🔄 Please share this post - you never know who might need this resource.

☕ Our EARN IT students showed up and showed OUT today! 👏We hosted our 2026 EARN IT Coffee Tasting, and we were blown awa...
10/02/2026

☕ Our EARN IT students showed up and showed OUT today! 👏

We hosted our 2026 EARN IT Coffee Tasting, and we were blown away by what incredible hosts our students and staff were.

Students dressed to impress, welcomed guests, served coffee and refreshments, initiated conversations, made sure everyone was taken care of, and pitched in to clean up afterward. From start to finish, they took an active role in making today’s event a success.

We’re also thankful for the friends, family members, and colleagues who showed up to support them! Our guests were treated to a little trip around the world without ever leaving Hattiesburg, sampling rare, single-origin coffees from Ethiopia, Costa Rica, and Guatemala roasted in-house.

We’re pretty proud of this crew.

📸 Check out the photos from today’s tasting and help us celebrate our EARN IT students!

10/01/2026

Emilee is back!

Get ready for a brand-new episode of Em's Movie Picks! This October, Emilee is thrilled to share her latest movie selection with you. Don’t miss it—check it out now!

Em's Movie Picks is proudly sponsored by Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor. Catch more episodes on their official YouTube channel: Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor.

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe! Tap the bell icon to receive notifications for upcoming episodes.

💼 Talent has no single look - and neither does a great employee.October is National Disability Employment Awareness Mont...
10/01/2026

💼 Talent has no single look - and neither does a great employee.

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), a nationwide celebration of the skills, talents and contributions people with disabilities bring to America's workplaces and economy.

The 2026 theme is “Celebrating Value and Talent,” and all month long, IDS will be doing just that! 🎉

Throughout October, we'll be sharing resources, highlighting opportunities and celebrating the value people with disabilities bring to the workforce - not just during , but every day.

🔗 Learn more: https://beta.dol.gov/programs-initiatives/ndeam

🥗 The Salad Station in Gulfport and D'Iberville.🏨 DoubleTree by Hilton Hattiesburg.Different businesses. Different caree...
09/30/2026

🥗 The Salad Station in Gulfport and D'Iberville.
🏨 DoubleTree by Hilton Hattiesburg.

Different businesses. Different careers. Same willingness to invest in our students. 💛

This month, our Career Informational Interview students got to hear from Josh Geesey and Micah Wilson with The Salad Station and Shanice Ervin-Newton with DoubleTree by Hilton Hattiesburg about careers in their industries.

These businesses are no strangers to IDS! Both have previously opened their doors to SEA students for work experiences, giving young people with disabilities opportunities to learn, grow and gain real-world experience.

Thank you, Josh Geesey, Micah Wilson and Shanice Ervin-Newton, for showing our students what community partnership looks like.

Address

118 College Drive
Hattiesburg, MS
39401

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

Telephone

+16012665163

Website

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