We Have a Lot to Do This Year!

Happy new year!

Now seems like the perfect time to reflect on 2022 and share what we have planned in 2023.

In 2022, we did a lot of what we are known for: presented at numerous national and regional conferences, responded to over 1,500 inquiries for technical assistance and resources, published dozens of new resources, and hosted webinars and affinity group meetings.

We also did some brand-new things! We hosted our first intern! Read more about Rachel and her work here. Our team (individually and collectively) was grateful to receive several awards for leadership and achievement in the field of inclusive higher education. We promoted the first national #IPSEDay on social media. We more than doubled the size of our team with 9 new hires! We also began the very first pilot of a program accreditation process that has been a decade in the making. And finally, we had several opportunities to gather in-person, for the first time in several years, to work and learn together. (That may have been the very best part!)

Whew! 2022 was a great year, and we imagine that 2023 will prove to be just as good, if not better. With our growing team, we will be able to respond to more requests for assistance, help establish and grow new inclusive higher education opportunities, help build regional and state alliances for IPSE, and get the word out to even more people that college is an option for students with intellectual disability.

How will we get the word out? We are so excited for our brand new Think College Public Awareness Campaign, coming this spring. While we’re not quite ready to share details, be prepared for some outstanding resources to share widely throughout your networks.

We also plan for an even more robust social media presence to spread the word about college options for students with intellectual disability… stay tuned for news about new social media platforms where Think College will be working. (And if you don’t already, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram!)

Are you sensing a theme here? Our growing team wants to GET THE WORD OUT. We want every student, family member, teacher, counselor, and school administrator to know that college is an option for students with intellectual disability. We want college staff and faculty, provosts and presidents, students and alumni to know that students with intellectual disability can go to college. We want employers, disability benefits counselors, vocational rehabilitation staff, politicians, and advocates to know that students with intellectual disability can and do attend and benefit from college.

Stay tuned for more news and updates from Think College throughout the year. We have a lot to share, and invite you to join us in sharing the message that students with intellectual disability can Think College.

About the post author: Rebecca (Becky) Lazo is Knowledge Translation Manager for Think College. She gets the privilege of creating and sharing information about the good work being done by her co-workers on the Think College team via the website, social media, publications and resources, and more. She is super excited about some new projects underway at Think College!