With funding support from MSU’s Tower Guard student organization and Fredi the Pizzaman Foundation, University Health and Well-Being has taken a meaningful step toward inclusion and accessibility with the opening of a new sensory room, located near the Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities, or RCPD.
Opened in April 2026 during World Autism Month, it reflects MSU’s broader commitment to honoring and empowering the autism community during and beyond the month. The sensory room is open to all students and offers the opportunity to elevate understanding, celebrate neurodiversity and reaffirm that all campus spaces should reflect and respond to the diverse and evolving needs and experiences of all students, which is a sentiment MSU strongly values.
Sensory rooms are designed to provide a calming environment where individuals can regulate their nervous systems and find relief from sensory overload, stress or emotional fatigue. These spaces often include soft lighting, comfortable furniture, soothing sounds or scents and gentle visual elements to promote a sense of safety and grounding.
But this room is more than just a quiet space — it’s a statement.
Many campus communal spaces are designed to accommodate as many people as possible. This one was intentionally designed with a people-first mindset, putting the individuals who use it, not their disability, at the center. From the very beginning, RCPD team members were involved in shaping how the room should feel, function and support students with visible and invisible disabilities. Every element, from the paint colors to the furniture to the layout and tactile features, was selected with deep intention.
For a growing number of our community members, particularly our neurodivergent students and colleagues, the university environment can be a constant and overwhelming stream of sensory input. What might feel like minor distractions to some are persistent and magnified for others. Sensory thresholds are not a matter of willpower or resistance but reflect fundamental neurological differences in how individuals process the world around them. When people are constantly in a state of sensory overload, it doesn’t just impact their comfort, but jeopardizes their ability to learn, focus and succeed.
“This is why a sensory room isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity,” said Lindsay Hill, RCPD access specialist. “Intentionally designed spaces like these provide a safe place for de-escalation, allowing someone to reset their nervous system and regain a sense of control. They serve as a form of mental health first aid, a nonclinical resource that helps a person regulate their nervous system before a challenge becomes a crisis.”
The importance of a sensory room goes far beyond the individual. The very existence of such a space broadcasts a powerful, visible message to our campus community: We see you. We value you. You belong here.
This is an act of moving from a model of simple accommodation to one of universal design. A sensory room that’s open to everyone normalizes the idea that we all have different needs at different times, reducing stigma and fostering understanding and acceptance.
“Neurodivergent students often navigate campus spaces that don’t reflect their needs and experiences, which can leave them feeling unsupported or disconnected,” said Shelby Gombosi, RCPD director. “This room says: ‘You belong here, just as you are.’”
And it’s not just about physical space. It’s about what it represents. The sensory room is a visible and physical commitment to the values of inclusion, access and opportunity, turning intention into action. It acknowledges that healing, comfort and presence are not luxuries but essentials in creating a supportive campus environment.
Opening this space exhibits MSU’s commitment to accessibility on campus. Along with the RCPD sensory room, other sensory spaces on campus include:
- MSU Libraries Sensory Room, located in the Main Library’s west wing on the first floor
- Multisensory patio area, located outside Bessey Hall
- Spartan Family Sensory Room, located in the Breslin Center
“When students feel supported as their whole selves, they are better able to learn, engage and thrive,” said Alexis Travis, senior associate vice president of University Health and Well-Being. “This sensory room is a tangible example of how accessibility and inclusion are foundational, not optional, to student success and fostering a campus where all students feel a sense of belonging.
Available to students in Bessey Hall, the sensory room offers a retreat, a space to pause, reset and return to campus life feeling grounded and renewed.
During MSU’s Disability Pride Month and beyond, this new space reminds us that creating environments where students can authentically be themselves benefits not just individuals, but the entire campus community.
Images courtesy of UHW
