Program Successes

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 …

In this edition of Community Spotlight, Callie interviews two UK employees whose work is related to mental health and wellness. Amy Rodquist-Kodet is a holistic health coach and wellness specialist for UK Health and Wellness. Kristen Dahl works at the Human Development Institute at UK on multiple initiatives that center mental health, wellness, and mindfulness. In this interview, Callie asks about some of the supports and resources people might think about for mental health and wellness, the differences between them, and how we can work on our personal goals day to day …

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. Supported Higher Educationat Northern Kentucky University …

Joe Gerstle – NKU Graduate and CTP Student 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. Supported Higher Educationat Northern Kentucky University …

Bluegrass Community and Technical College Celebrates Halloween with Student Party Students donned their favorite spooky gear for the celebration …

A New Chapter Begins: WKU Program Celebrates First Student We are thrilled to announce that our WKU SAV-Y program has officially started with its first student! This is the first semester of our CTP program, SAV-Y, at Western Kentucky University! We are so excited to join the list of Kentucky CTP programs! WKU recently played the University of Alabama in football. Before the game Alabama’s CTP program, CrossingPoints Program (CPP), made a hype video in which they highlighted our program and theirs! It was so awesome to have CTPs at other universities across state lines to reach out and make connections while also helping spread awareness of CTP programs and helping us further our reach to communities that can benefit from our program. Watch the Alabama University CrossingPoints Program connection video. Highlights Our SAV-Y student has many peer mentors who have been spending time with him outside of class to …

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. Michael has taken classes in Art, English, Communications, Dance …

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 …

Celebrating NKU’s Comprehensive Transition Program Students …