Contents

Introduction: Recognizing Student Voice in Inclusive Higher Education

Michael Gill and Beth Myers

Part 1. Laying the Foundation: Why Everyone Belongs in College

1. I Want to Go to College

Antonio E. Contreras

2. I Got In

Taylor Ruppe

3. Adventures in Postsecondary Education

Stirling Peebles

4. A Language to Open

Adam Wolfond

5. “The Wanderer” and “This Is What I Sing”

Steven Brief

6. My History of the Excel Program

Alex Smith

7. Taking the Llama for a Walk and Other Things That Helped Us

Olivia Baist and Kylie Walter

Part 2. Opening Up Possibilities: Overcoming Doubt and Uncertainty

8. Being Independent Has Risks: How to RecoverWhen Something Terrible Happens

Kailin Kelderman, Eilish Kelderman, and Mary Bryant

9. Spartan Kid: Journeys

Brandon Baldwin

10. Best Experiences at IDEAL

De’Onte Brown, Deriq Graves, Nadia Osbey, Breyan Pettaway, and Sayid Webb

11. Two Poems

Carly O’Connell

12. Goal(s) in Common

Hannah Lenae Humes

13. I Did What They Said I Couldn’t

Allen Thomas

14. Climbing Higher and “From Mission Impossible to Mission Possible”

Courtney Jorgensen

15. Inclusive College on Zoom? My Inclusive Higher Education 2020 Experience

Stephen Wanser, Kate Lisotta, and Kim Dean

16. Inclusive College for All and How My Perception of My History Prof Changed

Keiron Dyck

17. Qua’s GT Excel Life and “Never Give Up”

Marquavious Barnes

18. Photo Essays and Selections from Student Leadership Conference 2019

Breana Whittlesey, Kaelan Knowles, Elise McDaniel, Kenneth Kelty, Katie Bartlett, and Rachel Mast

Part 3. Inclusion as Action: Diversifying Student Experiences

19. Hi, I’m Jake Miller

Jake Miller and Katie Ducett

20. “BGWYN” and “Confidence with Curves”

Taylor Cathey

21. Inclusive College Education

Micah Gray, with Karlee Lambert and Lydia Newnum

22. My UC Perspective

Joshua R. Hourigan

23. Phoenix Nation as in Spirit

Cleo Hamilton

24. My Excel Story

George Barham

25. #CreatingMyOwnLife

Payton Storms

26. Inclusive College Education

Makayla Adkins

27. My Story about Aggies Elevated at Utah State University

Brenna Mantz Nielsen

28. Questions and Answers

Lawrence Sapp

29. College Memories but Ready for What’s Next

Amanda Pilkenton

30. Full Year of College

Luke Wilcox

31. My Favorite Memories in College

Elizabeth Droessler

Part 4. Supporting Growth: Peer Mentoring and Support

32. Communicating Successfully in College

Maia Chamberlain

33. True Rafferty Interviewed

True Rafferty, with Nathan Heald

34. College Program Experience

Gracie Carroll

35. Teaching, Assisting, Reflecting: Our Experience Working Together

Phillandra Smith and Meghan Brozaitis

36. My Georgia Tech Excel Story

Maggie Guillaume

37. Emma’s Journey

Emma Miller

38. Come Read about My Awesome Journeys through Life

Brianna Silva

39. My Social Experience throughout Georgia Tech

Rachel Gomez

40. The Importance of Goals

Tyler Shore

41. Support and Encouragement for the Ones Who Seek It

Elliott Smith

Coda: Why This Collection?

Beth Myers and Michael Gill

Acknowledgments

Contributors