| | While my UCLA pride usually stems primarily from successes by our world-renown athletic program, an article that I read this morning involving a new educational program at the UCLA Extension Center, gave me a renewed sense of pride in UCLA as a world-renown academic institution. This fall marks the conception of a new Extension program called "Pathways," which is designed to allow adults with developmental disabilities such as autism and Down syndrome, the chance to gain a college experience while learning skills needed for independent living. The inaugural class of 16 students, and the future classes that will follow, will not earn college credits, but rather a two-year certificate which will provide them the skills and confidence to live more independent lives (i.e., learning to cook, pay bills, schedule appointments, etc.). Equally important to the curriculum, however, is that this program will allow these individuals to live the dream of going to UCLA, and college in general. They will get to study at Powell library, exercise in the Wooden Center, eat in the
dining halls, and participate in all walks of campus life such as attending sporting events as students. The inaugural class even had an orientation event and welcome luncheon where they took a class picture next to the famous Bruin statue outside of Ackerman Union.
Although I am not sure if UCLA is the first university to offer such a program, I was extremely touched by the article and it made me proud that my alma mater is reaching out to improve the lives of those with developmental disabilities. Given that autistic and other developmentally disabled adults are usually cast aside in terms of mainstream life and labeled throughout their lives as being handicapped or "different," I can only imagine the sense of joy that these individuals and their respective families must feel by taking part in such a program that promotes integration into the "normal" experience of going to college. Much props to UCLA and the Extension Center staff for doing this, and good luck to the Inaugural Pathways class of 2009!
Speaking of congrats, I'd like to offer my congratulations again to the newly married Bryan and Angeline Yamauchi! The wedding was a blast! Everything seemed to go rather smoothly...well, at least if you disregard the late arrivals of the groomsmen to the reception and Doug accidentally setting off Bryan's house alarm :) But aside from those "minor" mishaps, couldn't have asked for a more perfect wedding.
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| | Posted 10/6/2007 11:37 AM - 28 Views - 4 eProps - 2 comments
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