College Planning

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Generating New Revenue Sources

Generally, small private college face a serious challenge with declining enrollment. The President of Newburry College stated that he worries about the decline in enrollment of traditional students and doesn’t know if there will be enough financial aid to maintain his budget. 

Many parents of students with intellectual disabilities want their sons and daughters to have the same opportunity to attend college as their other children. These families represent new sources of revenue that have been untapped by higher education. Dr. Dedra Hafner has created a service model and fiscal budget that assist colleges and universities in creating supports that can attract new source of funding. 

Partnering with Faculty and Administration on Inclusive Academic Supports

An effective partnership can provide both individualized services, accommodations, and supports to ensure access and fully inclusive participation in college, and college programs that include non-degree, certificate programs, internships, and degrees. Student supports are aimed toward completion of appropriate courseworks resulting in successful post-college employment.

"I believe that young people dream about their futures and have the potential to reach their goals. Attending college means that they can achieve independence by engaging in new knowledge and finding a sense of self, while also expanding their career options. I offer an individualized approach for families and students to identify career preferences and navigate the selection of colleges for the best fit. I also have years of experience in assisting a wide range of students with disabilities who have the desire to attend college."

Voices of Experience: Students Share College Search Advice 

There is a growing movement across the United States where individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities have been able to attend college. I am fortunate to be part of gaining access to higher education for students who had previously told that they would never be able to attend college. 

In partnership with Think College at the University of Massachusetts-Boston, I wrote an article targeted for high school students with intellectual disabilities on how to conduct their college search. I decided to interview 5 current students with intellectual disabilities about their college search experience. In this article, readers will learn about the honest experiences of Kaethe, Maria, Santi, George, and Madison. This publication can be found at https://thinkcollege.net/resource/transition-planning/voices-of-experience-students-share-college-search-advice. 

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