On the Rise
NC State starts Elevate program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
This spring, NC State launched Elevate, the first inclusive postsecondary education program on campus aimed at providing the full college experience to students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
The first cohort, made up of seven students, spent the spring taking four of the program’s core courses, including strategies to academic success, career awareness, a living and learning lab, and an academic lab. The idea behind the four-year program is to have an Elevate student explore their interests, take classes with the rest of the student body, draw up their own plan of study and move toward a career that speaks to their interests.
“This makes our program very special,” says Paola Sztajn, dean of the College of Education, adding that there are other inclusive programs on college campuses, but that each focuses on a specific industry. “For us, it’s really the full campus experience. Try a few things. Find your talents, and then we will help guide you toward employment.”
The program is housed in the College of Education, which Sztajn says offers peer-mentoring opportunities for students in the college to serve as support. But it’s a university-wide initiative reaching all colleges and allowing the students to explore different interests and subjects. “We’ve got a student that’s interested in animal science,” says Tamira White, Elevate’s program manager. “One is interested in childcare. One is interested in business management. One is interested in criminal justice.”
White says the goal going forward is to bring in a cohort of 12 to 15 students each year until the program is fully realized with about 50 students. She is working to get more peer mentors involved as well as strengthen relationships with colleges and support services across campus.
But at the heart of it, White says, the program is designed to ensure that Elevate students get the fully rounded college experience. “You’ll see them in the gym. You’ll see them in classes. You’ll see them hanging out. You’ll see them in Wolf Village Apartments,” she says.
“We want to be as integrated and inclusive as possible.”
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