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Creating Our Own Lives: Contributors

Creating Our Own Lives
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table of contents
  1. Cover
  2. Half Title Page
  3. Title Page
  4. Copyright Page
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. Introduction: Recognizing Student Voice in Inclusive Higher Education
  8. Part 1. Laying the Foundation: Why Everyone Belongs in College
    1. 1. I Want to Go to College
    2. 2. I Got In
    3. 3. Adventures in Postsecondary Education
    4. 4. A Language to Open
    5. 5. “The Wanderer” and “This Is What I Sing”
    6. 6. My History of the Excel Program
    7. 7. Taking the Llama for a Walk and Other Things That Helped Us
  9. Part 2. Opening Up Possibilities: Overcoming Doubt and Uncertainty
    1. 8. Being Independent Has Risks: How to RecoverWhen Something Terrible Happens
    2. 9. Spartan Kid: Journeys
    3. 10. Best Experiences at IDEAL
    4. 11. Two Poems
    5. 12. Goal(s) in Common
    6. 13. I Did What They Said I Couldn’t
    7. 14. Climbing Higher and “From Mission Impossible to Mission Possible”
    8. 15. Inclusive College on Zoom? My Inclusive Higher Education 2020 Experience
    9. 16. Inclusive College for All and How My Perception of My History Prof Changed
    10. 17. Qua’s GT Excel Life and “Never Give Up”
    11. 18. Photo Essays and Selections from Student Leadership Conference 2019
  10. Part 3. Inclusion as Action: Diversifying Student Experiences
    1. 19. Hi, I’m Jake Miller
    2. 20. “BGWYN” and “Confidence with Curves”
    3. 21. Inclusive College Education
    4. 22. My UC Perspective
    5. 23. Phoenix Nation as in Spirit
    6. 24. My Excel Story
    7. 25. #CreatingMyOwnLife
    8. 26. Inclusive College Education
    9. 27. My Story about Aggies Elevated at Utah State University
    10. 28. Questions and Answers
    11. 29. College Memories but Ready for What’s Next
    12. 30. Full Year of College
    13. 31. My Favorite Memories in College
  11. Part 4. Supporting Growth: Peer Mentoring and Support
    1. 32. Communicating Successfully in College
    2. 33. True Rafferty Interviewed
    3. 34. College Program Experience
    4. 35. Teaching, Assisting, Reflecting: Our Experience Working Together
    5. 36. My Georgia Tech Excel Story
    6. 37. Emma’s Journey
    7. 38. Come Read about My Awesome Journeys through Life
    8. 39. My Social Experience throughout Georgia Tech
    9. 40. The Importance of Goals
    10. 41. Support and Encouragement for the Ones Who Seek It
    11. Coda: Why This Collection?
  12. Acknowledgments
  13. Contributors

Contributors

  1. Makayla Adkins was born in Rowan County, North Carolina. She is a 2021 graduate of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University.
  2. Olivia Baist is an alumnus (2022) of the InclusiveU program at Syracuse University, obtaining her certificate of completion in studio arts. Olivia identifies as having an intellectual disability and being disabled. During her freshman year of college, Olivia was featured in the documentary film And They Were Roommates: Navigating Inclusive Mentorship in Higher Education.
  3. Brandon Baldwin is in his senior year of the Beyond Academics program at UNC Greensboro. His dream is to be a writer and motivator for others with disabilities.
  4. George Barham is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. He is from Atlanta, Georgia. George is interested in animation and graphic design and plans on working as a cartoon creator after graduation.
  5. Marquavious Barnes is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. He is from Athens, Georgia, and people call him Qua. His interest is in sports/customer service, and he plans to work at the University of Georgia or downtown Athens after graduation.
  6. Katie Bartlett is a student at Washington State University. She likes taking classes in marching band, history, and math. Her favorite club on campus is country swing dancing and her favorite internship was at the WSU Veterinary Teaching Hospital.
  7. Steven Brief has autism and creates videos and gives speeches on autism. His dream is to help change the world for the better and help individuals with autism and their parents. He has pages on YouTube and Facebook called Autism Explained by SB.
  8. De’Onte Brown graduated from the IDEAL program at Georgia State University and obtained a certificate in film and digital media. He enjoys filming, creating, and editing videos.
  9. Meghan Brozaitis graduated from InclusiveU at Syracuse University. She was a peer trainer and went with other InclusiveU students to basketball games and other campus events. She enjoys working with kids, going for walks, and taking pictures of sunsets and nature.
  10. Mary Bryant is proud to be a mom to Kailin and Eilish Kelderman. She founded and is the director of the Path to Independence program for the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities at the University of Nevada, Reno.
  11. Gracie Carroll is a 2022 graduate of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University. Her story was written during her first semester. Since graduation, Gracie has worked full-time at Walmart and has been preparing to move from her home near the coast to Charlotte, North Carolina, where she will be able to spend more time with her sisters.
  12. Taylor Cathey is a twenty-six-year-old, two-time graduate from the Roberts Wesleyan University BELL Program and the SUNY Geneseo LIVES Program. Taylor has autism. She lives with her mother in Leroy, New York, and plans to move out on her own. She is a freelance writer and enjoys all things involving creativity, feminism, and self-expression.
  13. Maia Chamberlain is a junior at Syracuse University in the InclusiveU program. She lives with her family and commutes to school. Maia has cerebral palsy and is nonverbal. Usually she travels with her aide/interpreter and uses both sign language and Snap Core First on her iPad to communicate.
  14. Antonio E. Contreras is a senior in the Georgia Tech Excel Program and has received the Laura Lee Leadership Award from the State of the Art Conference and is a former California ABLE ambassador. Antonio is originally from San Francisco, California, and moved 2,200 miles away from his family to attend college and live independently and inclusively with roommates. He loves playing intramural basketball, attending sports events all over campus and metro Atlanta with his friends, and working out. He recently adopted a cat named Ella.
  15. Kim Dean is associate professor in the School of Education at Arcadia University and the REAL program faculty mentor. Her teaching and research focus on inclusion and building capacity in both K–12 and higher education communities for meaningful mental health literacy and inclusion for people with disabilities.
  16. Elizabeth Droessler lives with her mom at their petting zoo in Wake Forest, North Carolina. She was adopted at age seven from Russia and has three brothers, one of whom was also adopted from the same orphanage in Russia. She graduated from Appalachian State University’s Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program in 2020, where she was on the color guard team and took photos for the college newspaper. She works at her family’s petting zoo and part time at Gabi’s Grounds. She loves animals and working with children and older people.
  17. Katie Ducett is a doctoral candidate in inclusive (special) education at Syracuse University. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry education, special education, and literacy education from Nazareth College. She has numerous roles within the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education, including being on the executive planning committee for the annual national State of the Art Conference on inclusive higher education and the Student Leadership Conference.
  18. Keiron Dyck has completed the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University and the North Carolina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disorders program as a self-advocate. He hopes to have more chances to advocate for individuals with disabilities in the future.
  19. Michael Gill is associate professor of disability studies at Syracuse University. He loves to ferment, get tattoos, eat spicy food, and cuddle with his dog.
  20. Rachel Gomez is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. They are from Short Hills, New Jersey. Rachel is interested in working in the medical field and plans on working as an x-ray technician assistant or an electrocardiograph technician assistant after graduation.
  21. Deriq Graves is a graduate of the IDEAL program at Georgia State. Deriq is an exceptional storyteller, an animated character actor, and a skilled technical writer. Deriq spent his time at GSU studying film, scriptwriting, and acting and volunteering with the Alliance Theatre, Panther’s Pantry, and the EXLAB.
  22. Micah Gray graduated from Appalachian State University’s Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program, where he majored in music. He has a passion for singing and traveling. Since his graduation, he has joined a gospel recording choir and traveled throughout the United States singing and praising God. He also works, but nothing gives him greater joy than singing with his choir.
  23. Maggie Guillaume is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. They are from Roswell, Georgia. Maggie is interested in volunteering and plans on working as a teacher assistant at an elementary school after graduation.
  24. Cleo Hamilton is nice and friendly. He graduated on Mother’s Day 2020 from Syracuse University. He was a 2019–20 Remembrance Scholar. He is a photographer and runs the Instagram page @cleohamiltonphotography. His favorite city is Brooklyn.
  25. Nathan Heald is a lecturer and career development coordinator with the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. He teaches multiple courses related to career development and transition. He is interested in supporting students to realize their potential and find careers that fit their unique gifts.
  26. Joshua R. Hourigan is a former Transition and Access Program student at the University of Cincinnati. He is continuing his education at Ivy Tech Community College’s hospitality program as a pastry student hoping to start a business after he completes his studies. He enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, baking, playing and studying percussion, and making artwork.
  27. Hannah Lenae Humes is a student in the Next Steps program at Vanderbilt University. She enjoys public speaking, traveling, going to music concerts, and being an advocate for inclusive education. Hannah wants to work in the music industry, as well as with young children. Hannah was born with Down syndrome or trisomy 21.
  28. Courtney Jorgensen is part of the Aggies Elevated program at Utah State University. She works as an assistant teacher for children’s theater classes and as a nanny. She volunteers as a self-advocate with the Utah Regional Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities organization. Her goals are to finish her Aggies Elevated program and to become a florist or a professional who works with children. Courtney would also like to get married and have her own family.
  29. Eilish Kelderman is the proud younger sister of Kailin (KK). She recently completed her master’s in social work degree and is a licensed social worker. She works as a program coordinator at the Nevada Center for Excellence in Disabilities Family Navigation Network at the University of Nevada, Reno.
  30. Kailin Kelderman is a twenty-seven-year-old woman with Down syndrome. She is a graduate of the Path to Independence program at the University of Nevada, Reno. She continues to live on her own as she explores the world and finds herself.
  31. Kenneth Kelty is an award-winning motivational speaker and writer on his life with disabilities and self-determination. He is an alumnus of Western Carolina University’s two-year inclusive University Participant Program. He has spoken across the country, sharing his story at many universities and conferences. He is an active member of Tarheel Toastmasters, and he hopes to become an accredited speaker.
  32. Kaelan Knowles was a part of the inclusive learning academy at Kennesaw State University. He graduated in 2020 and really enjoyed his time there. His favorite class during his time at Kennesaw was Japanese 1001. He enjoys learning different languages, such as Korean and ASL.
  33. Karlee Lambert attends Appalachian State University, majoring in elementary education with a concentration in exceptional learners. She has a passion for education and young learners. She is excited to read this book and to see how inclusive higher education looks around the United States.
  34. Kate Lisotta is a senior psychology major at Arcadia University who lives in New York and serves as a peer mentor for the REAL Certificate.
  35. Rachel Mast is enrolled in the Missouri State University Bear POWER program and is a senator in the Student Government Association. She is a member of the National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition, an ABLE National Resource Center adviser, and has won the Laura Lee Self-Advocate Leadership Award. When not in college, she works as a hostess at the Olive Garden. Rachel is studying hospitality and acting and hopes to someday live in a pink house.
  36. Elise McDaniel is on the path to achieving her dreams through the University of Tennessee FUTURE program. Known for being a hard worker, she has taken college by storm, evidenced by her selection as a student presenter at the 2019 State of the Art Conference on Inclusive Postsecondary Education and Individuals with Intellectual Disability. She is a world traveler, having been to China, Israel, Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. She loves Broadway, hip-hop dance, and music in general and loves to showcase her dance and karaoke skills. Elise aspires to have a career and live independently and is honored to show what someone with Down syndrome can do.
  37. Emma Miller is a graduate of Appalachian State University. She is legally blind and attended the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program to learn lots of new skills and do things independently. She loves to work with older adults in an assisted living facility by doing activities and entertainment. She loves to play the piano and sing. She loves going to Young Life and learning more about the Bible and having fun with her friends.
  38. Jake Miller is a young man with autism. He lives at home with his mom and works several jobs in his community of Pittsford, New York. He is very social and loves spending time with his friends.
  39. Beth Myers is a faculty member at Syracuse University and executive director of the Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education. She loves working with InclusiveU, swimming, traveling, and crossword puzzles.
  40. Lydia Newnum graduated from Appalachian State University with a bachelor of science in elementary education. She completed a second academic concentration in exceptional learners and acknowledges just how much she learned from volunteering as a peer support with the students who were part of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program. Lydia is currently completing a master’s degree in reading education.
  41. Brenna Mantz Nielsen has Asperger’s syndrome. She has learned social skills to help her communicate with others. Brenna is a very determined person and compassionate. She just got married, and she graduated in the second cohort of the Aggies Elevated program. She works at the Institute for Disability Research, Policy, and Practice. Brenna has learned so much in her life and continues to strive toward catching her dreams.
  42. Carly O’Connell is a student at Syracuse University’s InclusiveU program. She enjoys learning about advocacy for people with disabilities like hers so that she can help people better understand others like herself in a more compassionate way.
  43. Nadia Osbey graduated from the IDEAL program at Georgia State. Nadia is determined, independent, and kind. She works hard, plays hard, takes care of her friends, and enjoys artistic expression of all kinds. Majoring in music production, during her time at GSU Nadia created soundtracks, wrote her own songs, and learned what it takes to represent artists in the industry. Nadia is published in the Signal, GSU’s student-run newspaper, and worked with Georgia State Athletics to gain sponsorships, promote ticket sales, plan events, and raise funds. Currently, she works security for the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
  44. Stirling Peebles works at Green Mountain Self-Advocates, a Vermont statewide nonprofit disability rights organization, and at the University of Vermont’s Center on Disability and Community Inclusion as the dissemination assistant for the Think College Vermont program. Stirling is an alumnus of Think College Vermont and completed an eighteen-credit certificate with a concentration in film and media communications. She holds a human resources management certificate from Champlain College. Stirling was a self-advocate Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) fellow and a teaching assistant in Vermont LEND.
  45. Breyan Pettaway is a graduate from the IDEAL program at Georgia State. He is a talented artist and writer. He has a wide creative scope and scale to his works, coupled with a meticulous writing process. Breyan has a wealth of random facts and knowledge that he is ready to break any silence with. Breyan has a published article in the GSU student-run newspaper, the Signal. He has a variety of experiences in job positions and locations, such as food service, airport staff, and column writing.
  46. Amanda Pilkenton is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. She is from Brookhaven, Georgia. Amanda is interested in biology, psychology, and space sciences. She loves drawing and hanging out with her family and friends. Amanda plans on working as an elementary school teacher’s assistant after graduation.
  47. True Rafferty is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. He is from Atlanta, Georgia. True is interested in warehousing operations and plans on working as a forklift operator after graduation.
  48. Taylor Ruppe is a graduate of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University. Taylor worked at the student union during her time at AppState and volunteered at an afterschool program.
  49. Lawrence Sapp has completed his sophomore year at the University of Cincinnati in Ohio and hopes to work in the field of architectural engineering upon graduation. He is a competitive swimmer and a member of the Team USA Paralympic Swimming team. Notable achievements are a gold medal in the one-hundred-meter backstroke at the World Para Swimming Championships in Mexico City in 2017 and a silver medal in the one-hundred-meter butterfly at the World Para Swimming Championships in London in 2019. He lives with his family and loves to travel, play video games, construct buildings with Legos, and hang out with friends.
  50. Tyler Shore is a graduate of the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University. He loves music, theater, schedules, and mindfulness breathing practices. Tyler works as a DJ at the campus radio station and at Belk Library and Information Commons.
  51. Brianna Silva graduated from the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program. Her story was written during her first semester of college.
  52. Alex Smith is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. They are interested in maps and travel and plan on working at a front desk at a hotel or as a GIS technician after graduation.
  53. Elliott Smith is a senior in the Excel Program at Georgia Tech. They are interested in becoming an educator and plan on working as a teacher’s assistant after graduation.
  54. Phillandra Smith is assistant professor of special education and critical disability studies at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research interests include the intersections of race and disability in teacher preparation and inclusive higher education. She loves collecting and caring for plants.
  55. Payton Storms is a student at the University of Kansas and has lived in Lawrence for two years. She hopes that everyone loves her story and finds it inspirational and interesting to read and that it is very relatable to many people.
  56. Allen Thomas attended Appalachian State University’s Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program. He is in his last year at Wake Tech and wants to transfer back to Appalachian State to finish his degree in special education.
  57. Kylie Walter earned her BS in inclusive elementary and special education from Syracuse University while also minoring in disability studies. Kylie was a residential mentor for Syracuse University’s InclusiveU program. For her undergraduate honors thesis, she filmed and produced a participatory and reflexive documentary, titled And They Were Roommates: Navigating Inclusive Mentorship in Higher Education. The award-winning film provides insight into inclusive mentorship and has been shared at conferences and film festivals around the world.
  58. Stephen Wanser is a second-year REAL Certificate student at Arcadia University who loves creative writing.
  59. Sayid Webb is a graphic designer, cosplayer, student assistant, gamer, and creative student. He hosted a Halloween and a Christmas party at the IDEAL program. Sayid creates flyers and posters for events and meetings and is a talented student with a creative mind who gets things done.
  60. Breana Whittlesey graduated from Kennesaw State University with a major in early childhood education. She has ADHD. She loves working with kids and hopes to become a student teacher.
  61. Luke Wilcox graduated from the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program at Appalachian State University. Luke is a young man with cerebral palsy who uses an electric wheelchair for mobility and a Tobii Dynavox speech-generating device to speak in a cowboy accent. Luke is an aspiring author and true friend to many.
  62. Adam Wolfond is a nonspeaking autistic artist, poet, and presenter. He is the cofounder of the A Collective (renamed Disassembly) in Toronto, where he also works in visual art and poetry. His film and artwork can be viewed at https://www.esteerelation.com. Adam is interested in the movement of language (which he refers to as “languaging”) and expression and how neurotypical language forms delimit neurodiverse expression. His poetry has been featured on https://poets.org. His chapbook of poetry, In Way of Music Water Answers Toward Questions Other Than What Is Autism, is available through his publisher, Unrestricted Interest.

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This work was supported by the Lawrence B. Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education and the Center on Disability and Inclusion at Syracuse University.
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