Category: Students and Families

The SEPSEA logo is a series of circles with an open book in the middle, with bold color pages. Below are three stars and the words Justice, Inclusion, and Advocacy

Southeast Post Secondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) will hold its annual conference in Asheville, NC this year from May 21-23, 2025.

Posted on | by Patti Singleton

Southeast Post Secondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) will hold its annual conference in Asheville, NC, from May 21 to 23, 2025.

The SEPSEA logo is a series of circles with an open book in the middle, with bold color pages. Below are three stars and the words Justice, Inclusion, and Advocacy

The SEPSEA conference is an excellent opportunity to connect with others who are passionate about inclusive postsecondary education programs. You can attend sessions with students, alums, and professionals to learn more about what different people are doing to increase access to learning, engagement, and advocacy in college and university settings.

If you are not a member of SEPSEA, you can also find out more information about membership – as well as details about this year’s conference – at this link: https://sepsea.org/sepsea-annual-conference/#

Exciting Opportunity for Students with Down Syndrome: Apply for Ruby’s Rainbow College Scholarships by April 15!

Posted on | by Patti Singleton

Exciting Opportunity for Students with Down Syndrome: Apply for Ruby’s Rainbow College Scholarships by April 15!

Are you a student with Down syndrome dreaming of attending college? Ruby’s Rainbow is here to help you achieve your higher education goals! Ruby’s Rainbow offers scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 to support students with Down syndrome in their pursuit of post-secondary education.

Who Can Apply? To be eligible for a Ruby’s Rainbow scholarship, you must:

  • Have Down syndrome
  • Be at least 18 years old by August 1 of the application year
  • Plan to enroll or continue enrollment in a post-secondary program that enhances your life through employment skills, independent living, or other interests
  • Provide copies of your high school diploma or equivalent, latest high school transcript, or proof of acceptance to or current enrollment in a post-secondary program1

How to Apply The application process is designed to help you showcase your personality, achievements, and dreams. Ruby’s Rainbow provides a detailed scoring rubric to guide you in creating a strong application. Remember to highlight your personal story, accomplishments, goals, and community impact.

Important Dates The application window is open now and closes on April 15. Don’t miss this chance to take a significant step toward your future!

Why Apply? Ruby’s Rainbow is dedicated to helping students with Down syndrome reach their highest potential and promoting awareness of their capabilities. By applying for a scholarship, you gain financial support and join a community that celebrates your achievements and dreams.

For more information and to apply, visit Ruby’s Rainbow’s scholarship application page.

Nate Palermo – NKU Graduate and CTP Student

Posted on | by Patti Singleton

Nate Palermo – NKU Graduate and CTP Student

Nate’s area of interest revolves around environmental science, animal life, and parks & rec. Nate has completed classes in environmental science, psychology, athletics and more. He enjoys playing games with friends, attending NKU basketball games, and working out in the Rec Center. During his time at NKU, Nate has completed several internship placements which include NKU’s Rec Center, the Cincinnati Zoo, the College of Education, and the Cincinnati Museum Center. Nate also enjoys working outside and volunteering his time with Gorman Farms. 

A smiling Nate sits at a workstation, typing on a computer keyboard.

Joe Gerstle – NKU Graduate and CTP Student

Posted on | by Patti Singleton

Joe Gerstle – NKU Graduate and CTP Student

The NKU baseball team surrounds Joe in the locker room.

During his time at NKU, Joe completed classes related to business, athletics, media and more while also participating in NKU’s Greek Life as a member of the Pike Fraternity. In his free time, Joe enjoys attending NKU basketball games, working out at the Rec Center, and hanging out with his Pike brothers. He is passionate about sports and can be found weightlifting, playing basketball, summing, and running to just name a few activities. During his time in the SHEP Program, Joe focused his internship experience on team management and supporting the Men’s Baseball Team. For the last couple of years, Joe lived on campus in the residence halls and provided assistance to the baseball coaches and players during their practice times.

WEBINAR: Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools: Next Steps for Inclusive Campuses

Posted on | by Teresa Belluscio

March 5, 2025. 3:00 – 4:00 pm ET

Think College offers this webinar with guest leaders from Special Olympics. Learn about how Unified Champion Schools (UCS) promotes inclusion through Unified Sports, leadership opportunities, and campus-wide engagement. UCS is widely expanding into colleges and universities. In this webinar, participants can learn more about hosting a UCS program.

Presenters: Lexxi O’Brien and Scott George from special Olympics North America.

REGISTER HERE: https://communityinclusion.zoom.us/webinar/register/2517370626914/WN_2Yd4jLn9TwK_-F5aQW_rjw#/registration

SEPSEA Advocacy Group

Posted on | by Patti Singleton

SEPSEA Advocacy Group meeting February 24, 2025

The next SEPSEA Advocacy Group meeting will be held (on ZOOM) on Monday, February 24 from *4:00-5:00 Eastern Time (*3:00-4:00 Central Time).

The Southeast Postsecondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) is an organization promoting access to quality inclusive postsecondary education for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities across the region.

This online Advocacy Group is a space for students and alums of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) programs to connect and share about their college experiences.

During this meeting, we will hear from a few graduates and students from the College and Career Studies program at the University of Kentucky about ways they are connecting with their community. Afterward, we would love to hear from everyone else about ways you connect with your community.

We hope you will join us for this conversation!

For more information about this group, or to get the zoom link for this meeting, please contact Erin Fitzgerald at Erin.Fitzgerald@uky.edu.

Watch Now: Rethinking College, a film by Think College

Posted on | by Patti Singleton
ThinkCollege teaser includes three images of students with disabilities on campus and the title, Rethinking College in bold white lettering over a blue backgroun.
Watch Rethinking College now

Two Students Celebrated at Northern Kentucky University Celebration

Posted on | by Teresa Belluscio

Two Students Celebrated at Northern Kentucky University Celebration

Two students complete the Supported Higher Education Program at Northern Kentucky University. Congratulations to Tara McGrath and Michael Bushman!

Tara has taken classes across multiple disciplines, including Education, Theatre, English, Business, and more.

In this picture is Tara (far right) and her peer mentor Kayla Rich during commencement.

She has completed on-campus internships at Empower Learn Create, Steely Library, Northerner, NKU Theatre Box Office and most recently the College of Education Office. Emily Hellman of NKU’s SHEP often hears feedback from Tara’s instructors, internship supervisors, and peer mentors about how delightful, hard-working, and dedicated she is. She has represented NKU and the SHEP Program by leading campus tours and meeting with prospective students and their families. It is not uncommon for Tara to go above and beyond in her work while exceeding expectations.

Two students smile into the camera wearing their graduation cap and gown.
A group of people including two college graduates stand facing the camera.

Michael has taken classes in Art, English, Communications, Dance and Theatre. He’s held a paid internship at the Steely Library for the last three years and has assumed a number of roles and responsibilities through this position.

Michael has achieved success not only as a valuable intern, but has continued to challenge and apply himself in the classroom setting as well. Michael was one of the first students in the SHEP Program to live on campus in the residence halls and Emily is grateful for the role that he played in making on-campus housing an inclusive and accessible opportunity for all students.

Cole Amann (pictured far right in the group photo) completed the SHEP Program in Spring of 2020. Due to COVID restrictions, all University events were canceled and he was never able to attend the commencement ceremony. His Mom reached out to me a few months ago asking if Cole could participate in the commencement ceremony with our other two graduates this spring! We enjoyed seeing Cole again and was glad that we he was able to join the celebration.

Owensboro CTP Graduates First Students

Posted on | by Teresa Belluscio

Owensboro CTP Graduates First Students

Gavin Basham and Amie Morris are trailblazers in the CLS Program.

Owensboro Community and Technical College (OCTC) graduated its first two students this spring from the Career and Life Skills certificate program: Gavin Basham and Amie Morris.

The Career and Life Skills certificate is designed to improve employment options through college-level coursework that includes life-long learning skills, digital literacy, and career exploration, as well as essential workplace skills through experiential learning opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities.

The program is a 2-year program that started at OCTC in the fall of 2022 with Gavin and Amie being the first participants in the program. There are now a total of 6 students in the CLS program.

Gavin Basham was interested in working in kitchens and restaurants. He gained much experience in food preparation and culinary arts. Through his CLS internships he was offered a job at one of his placements.

Amie Morris found real joy and vision in the art classes that she took over the semesters. The artwork she produced astonished everyone around her. Although she has completed the CLS certificate, she may continue enrolling in other art classes here at OCTC.

We are so proud of our CLS graduates!

University of Kentucky Celebrates Students

Posted on | by Teresa Belluscio

University of Kentucky College and Career Studies Program Celebrates Students

The Human Development Institute at the University of Kentucky recognized the following Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership (KSHEP) students for their achievements in a ceremony on May 2, 2024:

Completion of College and Career Studies program at the University of Kentucky

  • Sara Jones (primary focus on Universal Design, Animal Care and Support, and Storytelling in Literature).
  • Justin Harmon (primary focus on Universal Design, Theatre Arts, and Advocacy and Inclusion).
    Completion of Undergraduate Certificate in Universal Design
  • Callie Baesler
  • Kate Boudreaux
  • Will Lyon
  • Sara Jones
  • Justin Harmon

Spotlight on new CCS alums:

Justin Harmon

The College and Career Studies (CCS) program at the University of Kentucky helped me achieve my dream of going to college.  

I am thankful for the opportunity it gave me to attend many interesting classes, learn new things, make new friends, and experience campus life.  I will forever be grateful for my time as a CCS student at UK, and will always be proud to call myself an official Wildcat! 

Justin Harmon, CCS alum
Justin in front of UK Wildcat statue

Justin in front of UK Wildcat statue

Sara Jones (left), Ann Switzer (right), and Erin Fitzgerald (background)

Sara Jones (left), Ann Switzer (right), and Erin Fitzgerald (background)

Sara sitting with the UK Wildcat statue

Sara sitting with UK Wildcat statue

Sara Jones

Things I learned in college:  ​

  • I learned ways to communicate effectively with others.​
  • I can use what I have learned about Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning in many environments.  ​
  • I learned that I am most interested in caring for and supporting animals when thinking about a future career.  ​
  • I learned to be an advocate for myself and others for resources to be inclusive and accessible to everyone.  ​
  • I learned that I can overcome challenges that come with being a neurodivergent person.  ​
  • I learned that I can be successful. 
Sara Jones, CCS Alum

Thanks to everyone who made the 2023/2024 academic year a success! Congrats to all the students who completed a milestone this year, and also to students who completed their first year. We can’t wait to see what you all do next!