Program ‘elevates’ students with disabilities
For some, college is a time of self discovery and the beginning of a path to independence. Thanks to Aggies Elevated, students with disabilities can now share in this experience at Utah State University.
“Aggies Elevated is a post-secondary education program here at Utah State for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities,” said Sarah Bodily, the Aggie’s Elevated program director.
Those disabilities include autism, down syndrome and traumatic brain injuries.
The students in the program are at Utah State to have a college experience and reach their personal goals, Bodily said. It’s an individual program set for the students so they can access education like anyone else in the community.
People from all over the USU campus have been researching for 15 years to make the program possible, Bodily said. After several years of preparation, the program started last fall with seven students.
“It’s a two-year program,” Bodily said. “It’s a little different, but last semester we taught a career-exploration class, allowing (students) to get some opportunities, just to have the exposure to different careers that could be possible based on their interests. We also had an adult-learning and independent-living class that gave them basic skills. We talked about conflict resolution and problem solving and plagiarism and everything that might just come up or has come up in their lives.”
Bodily sees the program as an opportunity because of the lack of access to higher education the students have.
“A lot of times this population is under-served because of their disability, and there’s not a whole lot of access to higher education,” Bodily said. “This program is designed to help them access that through inclusion and integration in their community.”
The program features many courses that help with social and life skills.
“This semester we have a self-determination class, being able to set goals and determine what you want for your future as well as to disclose disability based on those people that need to know it as well as preparing them to set goals for their future with employment and future education and things like that,” Bodily said.
The program also has a basic functional writing and reading course, skills necessary for interrupting bus schedules and the like.
“We’ve seen huge growth,” Bodily said. “We’ve seen students with very low reading levels and very low academics but huge successes — A’s and B’s in classes because they’ve been using assistive technology. Their willingness to adapt has been huge.”
Jessica Tremea, a senior majoring in elementary and special education, mentors two students in the program.
“I just kind of help support them in academic things — living skills, just anything that they need. I’m kind of their go-to girl,” Tremea said.
She sees the program as an opportunity for students in the program to get the college experience as well as for other students the chance to get the interaction with them, providing what Tremea said she thought was a “really good experience for everyone.”
Debra Jenson, an assistant professor for journalism and communication at USU, has worked with Utah’s Special Olympics as well as other organizations for adults with intellectual disabilities.
“I’ve been really happy to see the Aggies Elevated students on campus,” Jenson said. “People who do not have a disability, we have a lot of misconceptions and preconceived notions about people with disabilities, and anytime we can bring them together in a common experience is a chance to break down those barriers.”
Bodily, Jenson and Tremea see the program as a way to integrate the communities.
“One thing I hope is that everyone realizes that these students are just like us,” Tremea said. “They are here for the same reasons we are: to experience college life, be independent, to learn and grow, make memories, make a better future for themselves and reach their dreams.”
Bodily shares the same hopes as Tremea of greater understanding through having the program on campus.
“I think that it’s important to realize that as students at the university that these students aren’t any different than you or me,” Bodily said. “They’ve had the same struggles. They’ve gone through a lot. They’ve probably gone through more than you or I have ever gone through, but they’re here, and they’re doing it. They’re putting forth the effort just like all of us. Give them the benefit of the doubt. Get to know the students before you judge the fact that they have a disability or they may not sound like you do. It’s just another group of diversity that is given access now to this great opportunity of higher education.”
Applying for the program is separate from general USU’s admission. The application for Aggies Elevated is found on www.aggieselevated.com/apply. The application for the 2015-2016 school year is available online starting on Feb. 1. Applications are due on April 1.
— sadiejherrera@aggiemail.usu.edu