My UC Perspective

My name is Joshua Hourigan, and I’m a TAP student from Muncie, Indiana. TAP is an acronym that stands for the Transition and Access Program at the University of Cincinnati (UC). This program focuses on employment skills, independent living, social and engagement skills, and having the full four-year experience. It’s an educational program that involves creating a living-learning opportunity that builds career skills, academic achievements, independent living, social networks, and a bright future.

My time at UC is with no doubt a wonderful experience. Living in the residence halls feels so cozy and relaxing with the campus view on the hall floors. I absolutely love getting to know the diverse and inclusive student population, particularly when I was at the TAP Summer Orientation Workshop. In the summer orientation, it’s the time where the new incoming freshmen are required to stay for June and July summer sessions on campus for a week to get situated with getting around on campus, living in the dorms overnight, learning the curriculum, and participating in a traditional orientation assembly. It made me feel a little bit nervous because I’ve never been there before and I hardly knew anybody, but as I started getting to know everyone, I felt pretty welcome there. The opportunities and the UC traditions are endless.

Some of my favorite student organizations that I’ve got the chance to be in are the UC Bearcat Jazz Ensemble as a percussionist; the UC Hepcat Swing Dancing Club to learn traditional and modern swing dances; and the UC Hillel Jewish Student Center for social activities, Jewish holidays, and being the volunteer coordinator for Challah for Hunger, which is an organization in which we bake and sell challah bread to raise social awareness and to raise money for organizations to end hunger worldwide. These organizations are so important to me because it helps me build social relationships with peers and engage directly with other people. And Hillel is also important to me because I want to preserve my tradition, participate in some congregational settings, and meet other Jewish people that share similar cultures. And last October, I had the honor to appear on Channel 12 to talk about my experience. I was picked because the people at Advancement and Transition Services (ATS) thought that I would be the perfect person to talk about what college is like for me, and I told them about how this program is changing my life. They showed this on TV because the reporters wanted to prove that college is an option for students like me. It was unforgettable the way that the news anchors asked me lot of questions about my overall experience, and we joked around quite a bit when we were on the air too!

Academically, my professors and teachers are amazing at what they do. On a daily basis at the Teacher’s College Building, I’ve been learning a lot of stuff, including time management, vocational exploration, academic support, developing relationships with my peers, and how to succeed in life. Additionally, the TAP student leaders are always there to help me with some personal goals, managing my stress, and making sure that I thrive and flourish throughout the year. Plus, they help me with developing some skills that will help me with things to help self-monitor and to try some stress relievers as well. To manage my stress, I either pace outside of the halls or sometimes pace outside the dorm rooms to let all of the stress out, and it usually works for me most of the time. A life coach is always there for me if I need some help with my goals, and we usually sit and talk about what my goals should be for every week. Also, there are some awesome academic coaches that help me with my academics, staying organized, and keeping up with my tasks. Occasionally during academic support, the homework can be challenging depending on the class, subject, or topic, but luckily I have a professor or an academic coach to ask for help if needed. In every spring, UC’s ATS has the opportunity to have a special fundraiser event at the Fifth Third Arena to raise money for those amazing programs at UC.

I’ve had so much support from my friends, family, and relatives throughout the year, and it makes me feel proud of myself for what I’m accomplishing. My hopes and dreams by the time I graduate from TAP are that I have good quality of life, have a productive job, have a healthy lifestyle, continue developing my social skills with others, live on my own, and am able to have the skills to succeed in life with so many chances in reach. And I hope to see what my potential has in store for me for the years to come to have a true purpose in my life.