Summer 2024 | Issue 12

Welcome to the Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network's Network News. This quarterly newsletter features updates from the Think College Inclusive Higher Education Network (Think College Network) as well as news from the field, upcoming events, and learning opportunities related to inclusive higher education across the US.

News from The Network

Growing Momentum of the Regional Alliances

Susanna Miller-Raines, Think College Network’s Alliances manager, was on the road supporting regional alliances this summer! The tour of regional alliances began on May 22-24, with Susanna and others from the Think College team attending the 9th Annual Southeast Postsecondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA) Conference in Clearwater, FL. Our team presented the most recent national data, debuted new state policy and advocacy resources, and led a community conversation on the needs of the field. The following week, May 29-31, Susanna headed across the country to present at the first Northwest Inclusive Postsecondary Education Alliance (NWIPSEA) Capacity Building Institute (CBI) held at Washington State University. Wrapping up the first part of the regional alliance summer tour, Susanna led strategic planning with the Four Corners regional alliance on June 6 in New Mexico. The second half of the summer brought Clare Papay and Susanna to Baltimore to support the Mid Atlantic (MIDA) regional alliance in mid-July, followed by a trip to Chicago to attend the Midwest Inclusive Postsecondary Education Alliance (MIPSA) CBI on August 6. Learn more about the established and developing regional alliances.

A group of twelve people stand smiling in front of a colorfully painted mural featuring abstract figures and bright vivid patterns and the diverse group is casually dressed

Photo: Representatives from Think College, Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah at the Four Corners regional alliance planning meeting at the New Mexico School for the Deaf in Santa Fe, NM.

A group of twelve smiling people some wearing matching grey tee shirts standing together in front of a staircase with a large plant

Photo: Attendees from Idaho and Washington at the first Northwest Inclusive Postsecondary Education Alliance held at Washington State University in Pullman, WA.

Photo: Attendees at the Mid-Atlantic (MIDA) Regional Alliance planning meeting in Baltimore, MD.

News from Think College

A collage of Think College publication types and logos

New Network Publications & Resources

We’ve been busy here at Think College Network and have some new resources we want to share with you! Here’s a recap:

Two new Insight Briefs resulted from a listening session where vocational rehabilitation (VR) state agency leaders discussed partnering with higher education programs. The briefs cover key issues identified, such as communication gaps and funding challenges, offer recommendations to improve collaboration and more!

State Vocational Rehabilitation Leaders' Perspectives on Partnering with Higher Education Programs for Students with Intellectual Disability

Listening to Vocational Rehabilitation Leaders: Practice and Policy Recommendations for Higher Education/ Vocational Rehabilitation Partnerships

In addition, we have other new publications including:

College to Careers: VR Can Make it Happe n - Explores how VR can work with colleges to help students with intellectual disability find and keep desired jobs.
Realize that Students are Capable: Perspectives of Students with Intellectual Disability on their College Experiences - Summarizes a literature review highlighting student voices on positive program elements and areas for improvement, with recommendations from students themselves.
The Importance of Naming Your Program - Offers guidance on creating empowering, inclusive program names by avoiding disability-focused terms and confusing acronyms.

News from the Regional Alliances

Woman smiling and facing the camera wearing a white top with a small pin and is framed by a decorative arch and the background is green with the text New Board Member Spotlight at the top

Welcome to SEPSEA’s New Interim Chair

Emmaree Wilson is the new interim board chair for the board of directors of the Southeast Postsecondary Education Alliance (SEPSEA), which was announced at the annual SEPSEA Conference in May. Emmaree is the personal/social instruction coordinator for the EAGLES Program at Auburn University. She is a graduate of Auburn University, and has a passion for transition, diversity, and inclusion. Welcome, Emmaree!

News from The Field

A Summer of State Synergy

Regional alliances weren’t the only groups going strong with summer capacity building events! Several states, including Florida, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, and South Carolina held capacity building events to support higher education programs for students with intellectual disability in their states. Think College was glad to be involved and support localized strategic planning.

Check out our What's Happening in Your State webpage for more info on state-level contacts.

Photo: Think College team members networking at the Expo and Reception during the Postsecondary Education Program Planning Institute hosted by the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities.

staff person speaking with a student in a busy room

IMPCCT Video on Inclusive College Programs

Check out this video from the North Dakota Inclusive Model Pathways for College and Career Training (IMPCCT) Consortium. The Consortium establishes inclusive college programs for students with intellectual disability. IMPCCT currently has programs at Minot State, Bismarck State, and Dakota College at Bottineau. They’re committed to expanding inclusive college opportunities for students with intellectual disability. Watch the video to learn more.

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Don’t Miss Early Bird Registration for SOTA!

October 29-30, 2024, Chapel Hill, NC

The State of the Art (SOTA) conference provides opportunities for colleges, universities, researchers, program staff, parents and self-advocates to learn about the current state of research and practice in the field of inclusive postsecondary education and to network with each other. Conference speakers include faculty and staff from postsecondary education initiatives, parents, self-advocates, and other experts—sharing effective practices and leading group discussions. Early bird registration ends September 1st. Don’t miss out - register now!

The Latest in Research

New Issue of the Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education

Published in July 2024, the latest issue of the Journal of Inclusive Postsecondary Education (JIPE) is packed with groundbreaking research and insightful articles that explore innovative practices in inclusive postsecondary education. The new issue includes seven research articles on these topics:

Surveying families for program improvement.
Evaluating self-determination and academic enabling behaviors.
Implementing a virtually delivered multimedia essay writing strategy.
Using virtual reality to teach science vocabulary.
A review of the literature on self-determination.
Navigating risk during COVID-19.
Strengthening communication between parents/guardians and inclusive postsecondary education program staff.

Dive into the new issue today.

Student Corner

Student Leadership Conference at the State of the Art (SOTA) Conference

October 29-30, 2024

University of North Carolina Chapel Hill

The Student Leadership Conference (SLC) is an opportunity for current and future college students to connect with peers from across the country, learn useful tools to empower your transition into college life, expand your potential to serve as student advocates and leaders in the growing field of inclusive higher education, and have fun! Registration and more information here.

Piggy bank with graduation cap and piles of money

Federal Financial Aid for Students with Intellectual Disability

Check out this publication which explains federal financial aid for students with intellectual disability who are going to college. Plain language and an easy-to-read question and answer format is used. The different types of financial aid are described, and there are websites to visit to get more information.

Employment Opportunities

text reads find your future visit our jobs page

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Visit the Think College employment opportunities webpage for current IPSE-related job openings across the country. New opportunities are added all the time - check back often!

Have an open position? Email us the job title and a link to the job description and application and we will post it.

What we are Reading

Student sitting down and reading a book in a library

We were so excited to read, “Colleges Have a Responsibility to Support Students with Intellectual Disabilities,” in University Business. In this piece, Dr. Daniel A. Wubah, president of Millersville University, emphasizes the importance of diversity and inclusion on the college campus. He cites the contributions of the Integrated Studies initiative at Millersville as improving the university as a whole.

We enjoyed reading some recent Inside Think College Blog posts:

Expanding Opportunities for Students with Intellectual Disabilities at HBCUs by Sharon Brown and Derrick Wesley. This blog post provides insight into the opportunities that exist at HBCUs for students with intellectual disability.

Navigating the Waters of Alliance Building: The Great Lakes Programs Coming Together as GLIPSEA by John Andresen, Jessie Green, Katie Norland, Angela Post, and Chelsea Stinnett. This blog recaps the Great Lakes Inclusive Postsecondary Education Alliance's first year of establishing its identity.