Laurier alum Reenie Banks-Daynes credits Accessible Learning for helping her thrive after ADHD diagnosis

Oct. 24, 2025

Reenie Banks-Daynes (BA ’05) arrived at Wilfrid Laurier University’s Waterloo campus in the fall of 2001 carrying more than just textbooks and dorm essentials.

The Toronto resident brought years of academic frustration, a recent diagnosis of predominantly inattentive attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and quiet uncertainty about what learning in a university classroom would be like.

A diagnosis of ADHD can present behaviours including limited attention, restlessness and forgetfulness. Students with ADHD can experience difficulties with time management, organization and task completion.

“High school was a struggle,” says Banks-Daynes. “I had trouble paying attention, and if things didn’t move fast enough for me in class, I simply tuned out. I didn’t want that for my university experience.”

The turning point in Banks-Daynes’ academic experience came when she met with staff in Accessible Learning to discuss learning strategies that met her needs.

Laurier’s Accessible Learning team supports students with disabilities — or suspected disabilities — by providing equitable access to the learning environment through accommodation. Support varies according to individual student needs and can include extra time to complete assignments, quiet spaces for exams, peer note-takers and assistive technology, among other strategies.

An accommodation does not reduce academic expectations within a course, as students with accommodations are required to meet the same academic standards as their classmates.

“The only reason I was successful and did as well as I did in university was because I had a learning environment that worked for me and instructors who supported that,” says Banks-Daynes. “I don’t think I would have been successful without the support provided by Accessible Learning.”

Throughout her four years at Laurier, Banks-Daynes’ accommodations included a peer note-taker and a private room to minimize distractions when writing midterms and final exams. She also credits faculty within the Communication Studies program with fostering open dialogue about her academic needs and progress.

“I benefited from Laurier’s small class sizes and professors who cared about my success,” says Banks-Daynes. “Some of them even suggested books and other resources to help me learn more about learning and my diagnosis. I really felt like I mattered.”

Jeanette Parsons (BA ’98), director of Accessible Learning at Laurier, understands the experiences of students like Banks-Daynes and empathizes with those navigating accessibility challenges. Deafened later in life, Parsons uses a cochlear implant and finds closed captioning and lip reading helpful to support her communication during conversations.

“Learning is not a one-size-fits-all experience, yet that’s the way it was approached at many levels of education for a very long time,” says Parsons. “At Laurier, Accessible Learning helps students navigate the learning environment and remove the barriers that stand in the way of their success.”

During the 2024-25 academic year, Accessible Learning supported more than 3,000 Laurier students to address needs ranging from physical abilities and chronic health conditions to mental health and learning styles. The number of students seeking support has been on the rise in recent years, as awareness and acceptance of varying learning needs grows.

Parsons’ team of 25 staff have credentials including graduate degrees and professional experience in occupational therapy, psychology, education, social work and disability studies. Accessible Learning can also connect students who suspect they have a learning disability with diagnostics, testing and funding opportunities to offset costs.

“We provide a safe space for students to share their stories,” says Parsons. “Then we make adjustments to the environment or connect them to other campus or community supports so they can go about being a student.”

With support from Accessible Learning, Banks-Daynes was able to do just that during her time at Laurier. She graduated with honours in 2005 and has built a thriving career in real estate in the Greater Toronto Area. Banks-Daynes says the ever-changing landscape and fast-moving pace of the real estate industry are a perfect match for how she prefers to work.

“There was a time I felt so frustrated with how my brain worked,” says Banks-Daynes. “But knowledge is power. Understanding my diagnosis and what I needed to succeed changed everything. There’s no need to struggle when there are supports that can help you.”