In March 2025, Think College hosted a webinar about Special Olympics Unified Champion Schools (UCS), a program designed to promote social inclusion on college campuses by uniting students with and without intellectual disability. Through activities that fostered friendship, respect, and understanding, UCS aimed to create environments where all students felt welcome, valued, and empowered to succeed.
Trying new things and meeting new people are some of the most important parts of college. Ways to engage on campus are as broad and varied as students’ interests and communities. When students engage outside the classroom, they discover something new about themselves whether it is by joining clubs, interning or working, attending special events, or even just hanging out in the cafeteria.
Engagement outside the classroom helps students:
This Affinity Group is designed for people who are currently involved with or interested in enabling students with ID to become full participating members of their campus communities. Affinity Group members include any college or university staff, faculty, mentors, students with ID, or researchers. The group is facilitated by Lindsay Krech, director of Campus Life and Student Supports at Vanderbilt University (Lindsay.b.krech@Vanderbilt.edu).
This Affinity Group is designed for people who are currently involved with or interested in enabling students with ID to become full participating members of their campus communities. Affinity Group members include any college or university staff, faculty, mentors, students with ID, or researchers. The group is facilitated by Lindsay Krech, director of Campus Life and Student Supports at Vanderbilt University (Lindsay.b.krech@Vanderbilt.edu).
Think College interviewed Nykenge (Nikki) Blue for our April 2022 newsletter. Nikki is a student at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Think College interviewed Wright Villani for the March 2022 newsletter. Wright lives in Richmond, Virginia and goes to Virginia Commonwealth University ACE-IT in college.
Postsecondary education (PSE) programs allow for college students with intellectual disability to experience a higher level of autonomy in choice making, which they may not have experienced in their family home or high school. This includes choice making related to romantic and sexual relationships. The Continuum of Support for Intimacy Knowledge in College Survey (CoSIK-C) was used to examine how PSE programs support college students in building their intimacy knowledge.
Think College interviewed Rachel for the February NCC newsletter. Rachel is located in Saddle Brook, New Jersey attends Bergen Community College in Paramus New Jersey. At the time of the interview, she was in her second year of the Turning Point Program.
Think College interviewed David Canipe for our January 2022 newsletter. David is a student at the University of South Carolina.
Think College interviewed Tuba Kausar for our December 2021 newsletter. Tuba is is a student at Bridgewater State University.
Click here to read the interview.
