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Courtney says. “You just mature, and you get to find who you get to be in college.” A GOOD CHALLENGE
Texas A&M freshman Courtney Osburn meets fellow students who will help her with study and life skills.
College Bound
Texas’ first inclusive university program for IDD WORDS CARRIE STEINGRUBER
OSBURN: HEATHER MOSES/COLLEGE OF EDUCATION & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT AT TEXAS A&M
C
OURTNEY OSBURN COMES
from a dyed-in-the-maroon-wool Aggie family. “Growing up, I had this gut feeling: You will be here someday,” she shares about the Texas A&M campus. Courtney, 27, has cerebral palsy, and sometimes it takes her awhile to push the right words out. But she remained confident in her destiny. As the years passed, her mom, Beca Osburn, was less sure. “I thought, Oh my god, honey, I don’t know if we can make this one happen.” Unbeknownst to them, A&M was preparing to launch Aggie ACHIEVE, a certificate program for young adults like Courtney.
Aggie ACHIEVE is the only four-year inclusive, residential program in Texas serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Gena Koster, executive director of special education for Keller Independent School District, says she has already had a family inquire about it for their daughter in elementary school. That’s not too early to be thinking about life after high school, according to Koster. By the time your child hits the teen years, make note of programs and eligibility requirements; for Aggie ACHIEVE, these include third grade reading comprehension, basic math skills and a reliable communication • Learn more about Aggie method (verbal or otherwise). ACHIEVE and upcoming open To gauge whether a prohouses at aggieachieve.tamu.edu. gram is the right fit, Koster • The E4Texas program at the suggests “looking at the rate University of Texas at Austin that your student grows prepares students to become personal care attendants; stueach year and then project dents also have the option to that out”—e.g., what will audit some regular UT courses. Aggie ACHIEVE is “as much their reading level be in high disabilitystudies.utexas.edu/e4texas school? While giving your as possible meant to mirror the • Tarrant County College has college experience for a typical child something to strive transitional skills programs to student,” explains Carly Gilson, toward can be beneficial, “you prep students for work or colthe program’s faculty director. don’t want to set unrealistic lege. tccd.edu Each semester, Courtney and goals and cause more frustra• To find other programs for her peers enroll in selected tion,” she adds. students with disabilities, check inclusive courses on a pass/ Don’t forget about your out thinkcollege.net, a database fail basis. They’re surrounded child’s emotional state—even with various search filters. by other Aggies, though the typical students combat anxiassignments might look difety and stress when leaving ferent—like PowerPoints and the nest. “An individual with podcasts instead of research papers. Student an intellectual disability can have some of those partners volunteer an hour or two each week to feelings intensified if put into situations that help Aggie ACHIEVE students study, cook and are outside the scope of what they can handle,” manage time, or just hang out and have dinner. Koster says. The ultimate goal: equip students to Then there’s the cost: Aggie ACHIEVE thrive independently and contribexceeds $10,000 per semester, plus $10,000 ute to the community through annually for room and board (numbers in line inclusive employment. Job with similar programs). Gilson is applying for a coaches help first- and federal designation that would allow students to second-years complete onaccess federal financial aid, and she’s working campus internships; thirdon scholarships. Beca Osburn says the price tag is worth it; and fourth-years are conshe’s already seeing the returns in Courtney. nected with opportunities “Just her confidence, her advocating skills, her off campus. independence,” Beca notes. After college, Courtney Courtney confirms that she’s being stretched. wants to be a sports trainer “The program challenges you mentally,” she for the A&M football team says. “But it’s a good challenge, like getting used … and ride the planned bulto new courses and how to study, balancing your let train back to North Texas to free time with your friends.” embolden kids with similar dreams. In other words, the same trouble spots every “Of course it’s going to be ups and downs, college freshman has to navigate. but it’s going to be the best time of your life,”
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