The Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership will be hosting an informational webinar on Tuesday, May 26 at 2:00 PM. Next Steps Beyond the CTP Experience, A resource webinar for CTP students, Families and CTP Programs. Webinar Details Tuesday, May 26, 20263:00 PM Speakers Exploring services that pertain to CTP students and familiesJonathan White – Assistant Director of VR Field Services Living independentlyMegan Kuhlwein- Executive Director, Statewide Independent Living Council Competitive integrated employmentKatie Whaley – Chair, Kentucky Employment First Council Click here to register

How to apply for the College and Career Studies Program: The deadline to apply for Fall 2026 semester has been extended to June 1, 2026. If you wish to apply for College and Career Studies program at UK for the Fall 2026 semester, please use this link to get started Undergraduate Application Please read and follow these steps carefully: Once you have created an account and logged in, you will see a dropdown menu for the 2026 application cycle. Select the “Non-Degree Application” and then click on “Create application” to begin. (This option might also be listed as “Open application.”) When you get to the “Applicant Information” screen, under “Applicant Type,” select “New Non-Degree.” Under “Application Term,” select “Fall 2026 (Beginning August 2026).” Complete the demographic and contact info on the next few screens as instructed. On the “Program of Study” screen, select “College and Career Studies (CCS)” as your major choice. (NOTE:

In this episode, Brooklynn interviews Pam Dorrel, the Community Manager of the Lexington Writer’s Room, a coworking space for active writers in the Lexington area. Transcript [Narrator] Hello and welcome to the Community Spotlight Podcast. Each episode highlights something interesting in the community of Lexington or surrounding areas of Kentucky. The podcast was started by students in the College and Career Studies program at the University of Kentucky. Thanks for listening. [Brooklynn] My name is Brooklynn and I am going to interview Pam Dorrel, the community manager for the Lexington Writer’s Room. Hi, Pam, how are you doing today? [Pam] Hi. I’m doing great. [Brooklynn] All right. So my first question is going to be: So, I got to visit the Lexington Writer’s Room recently. And it is a really cool space. Can you talk a little bit about what the organization is and how it got started? [Pam] Well,

In Kentucky, 19% of students with disabilities, across disability categories, enrolled in a college or university in the year following their exit from high school. For students with an intellectual disability, it was 9%. (2024 Kentucky Post School Outcomes Center) The Kentucky Supported Higher Education Partnership (KSHEP) is a network of Institutions of Higher Education across the state offering higher education programs for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, such as CTP programs. Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary (CTP) programs support students with intellectual disabilities (ID) who want to continue academic or career and technical instruction at an institution of higher education to better prepare for competitive integrated employment and independent living. Before 2020, when the Kentucky General Assembly started investing dollars for programslike CTPs, Kentucky had only 3 U.S. Department of Education approved CTP programs. Since 2020, Kentucky has doubled its number of CTPs. Application & Enrollment 164 Applicants 48%

Overall, the CTP program continues to make significant strides. By building on its successes, particularly in outreach, partnerships, and student engagement, it is well-positioned to grow, strengthen sustainability, and create even greater opportunities for students in the years ahead.

The College and Career Studies (CCS) program would like to spotlight Xin Ni this month. Xin is in her second year in the CCS program. Xin’s main passion is drawing comics. She creates her own comic called DinoFriends, which she posts regularly on Instagram. With this comic, she has made a whole world of colorful characters who explore various aspects of life together. Xin is taking three classes this semester: Writing Comics, First Aid and Emergency Care, and Practicum in Universal Design. In all of these classes, she is using her art skills to learn and share more about those topics. For Xin’s practicum project this semester, she is working with the Graphic Medicine Resource Lab to explore how comics can make healthcare topics more accessible to a wider audience. Graphic medicine is also a field that examines people’s lived experiences to understand health issues better and help improve outcomes

Think College has released a comprehensive set of resources designed to support vocational rehabilitation (VR) professionals in expanding higher education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. These materials highlight the crucial role that VR plays in promoting access to inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE), which in turn leads to increased independence, skill development, and improved employment outcomes. The resource hub provides: Foundational Guidance – Fact sheets and FAQs that explain how VR services, including Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS), career counseling, and job coaching, align with inclusive college programs. Models of Collaboration – Case studies from states such as Oklahoma and Colorado that demonstrate effective partnerships between VR agencies and higher education institutions to increase access and employment success. Funding and Supports – Information on federal student aid through Comprehensive Transition and Postsecondary Programs (CTPs), as well as details on state and campus-based supports that reduce barriers to participation. Program Quality and

The College and Career Studies Program at the University of Kentucky The University of Kentucky College and Career Studies program was approved by the University in early May 2022 and adopted by the US Department of Education later that month. We’ve seen a lot of student successes in those four years and learned a lot together that will continue to shape and make the program better in years to come. Students take classes available to all UK students. They explore interests and career options through practicum classes or other experiential learning. Like all college students, students in the College and Career Studies program are here to learn new things, meet new people, and think about what they might want to do next in life.