Research Assistant Spotlight: Sarah Xu

From Patient Care to Student Success

Sarah Xu is an undergraduate Research Assistant at the National Disability Center for Student Success and a senior Human Biology major in the College of Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin. They are also on the pre-med track and working toward certificates in Computational Engineering and Science, Pre-Health Professions, and Forensics. 

Their interest in disability research closely connects to their healthcare experiences. Sarah has experience working with patients with a range of disabilities and health-related needs through working in hospital settings. This includes the mental health center at Dell Children’s Hospital and the medical-surgical and surgical oncology floors at St. David’s. 

“My interest in disability research stems from my work with disabled patients in the hospital, and wanting to understand more of their experiences through disability research,” they shared. 

These experiences shape how they think about access across different systems. Belonging to both healthcare and higher education communities has made them want to better understand how disability shapes student experiences. Especially as students navigate academic expectations, accommodations, and support.

Why the Center?

Sarah first learned about the Center through another student.

“My older sister was actually the one who sent me the flyer about this position, and she saw it as she was in the process of getting her accommodations,” they said. “She was what inspired me the most to join the NDCSS, as well as my experience helping disabled patients.” 

At the Center, they see an opportunity to better understand student experiences and learn from people with different perspectives. Additionally, Sarah will have a chance to contribute to research that connects directly to students’ lives.

“I’m excited to learn more about another side of the university and students’ lives that I don’t think is talked about much,” they shared. “I’m also excited about how different all the people that work under NDCSS are, and how everyone provides a unique perspective.” 

As a Research Assistant, Sarah will:

• Support work on the Center’s Disclosure Study, including transcript-related research tasks. 
• Assist with data analysis to examine how syllabus language relates to students’ perceptions and their willingness to seek help or request accommodations.
• Support Student Fellows and Research Assistants across Center projects. 
• Help connect and understand the student stories the Center is working to share. 

For Sarah, this role is both a research opportunity and a chance to join a larger community that concentrates on improving access in higher education. Many of their interests focus on the connection between healthcare, higher education, and student success, as well as AI research and its impact on student experiences. 

Learning From Healthcare, Research, and Family Experience

Their perspective on disability and accommodations has been shaped by professional, research, and family experiences. In healthcare settings, they have seen how disability can shape care, communication, and support. Through work with the Virostko Lab, Sarah has a deeper understanding of clinical and people-facing research. This lab studies how MRI can help diagnose gestational diabetes.

Family experiences also shape how they think about accommodations in higher education. “My sister has recently gotten her accommodations for the university, and I’ve seen how much it can help her,” they shared. “It was refreshing to see her feel like instead of making herself fit everyone else, that she was getting accommodated for.”

At the same time, they saw that getting accommodations is not always simple. Documentation requirements and difficulty reaching a doctor can create additional barriers before support could be put in place. Through this experience, they better understand that access is not only about whether accommodations exist. It is also about the expectations of students to navigate the process of receiving them.

That perspective connects closely to their interest in healthcare and higher education. From their view, healthcare can be especially challenging because of the physical demands of studying, clinical work, and professional culture. “The exclusionary feeling of being in healthcare fields I think drives away people that need accommodations because of how restrictive it is,” they said.

Such experiences give them a meaningful lens for disability research in higher education. Through the Center, they aim to learn more about the accommodation process for students. They also want to explore the role of support systems and how research can raise awareness and increase care within institutions. 

Looking Ahead

During their time at the Center, they hope to gain a deeper understanding of qualitative research. Much of their previous research experience has been quantitative or laboratory-based. The Center offers a new opportunity to engage in participant-facing research connected to student experiences.

They also hope this experience will support future healthcare work by building a stronger understanding of the barriers disabled people face, both as students and as patients.

“I believe that this will help me be more mindful and aware while I interact with other students, as well as patients,” they shared.

For them, the Center represents a place where student and faculty experiences can be better understood, so that future students and faculty can receive stronger support. Their advice to others who are new to disability research or accessibility advocacy is simple:

“I’ve never achieved anything with inaction,” they shared. “Believing in something and acting on it have the same intentions behind it, but only one of them can really create change.”

For Sarah, that action starts with listening closely and learning from students’ experiences. This can help connect healthcare, research, and higher education in ways that help students get the support they need.