Above: IPSE student Ellie Rapp, second from right, with representatives of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Berry President Sandeep Mazumder and Vice President of Advancement Laura Croft. Below: Haney with the Barnharts. Photography by Rob Saye.
Berry’s efforts to enhance opportunity for young adults with intellectual disabilities earned “Rookie of the Year” recognition at the Big Game Ball held at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta. Hosted by the National Down Syndrome Congress, the event was co-chaired by famed sports reporter Tony Barnhart and his wife, Maria, as well as Bob Hope, founder and chair of Hope Beckham Espinosa.
A first for private colleges in Georgia, Berry’s two-year Inclusive Postsecondary Education program enables participants ages 18 to 26 to work toward personal goals that build academic skills, vocational development and interpersonal growth while auditing classes alongside peer mentors and taking part in all aspects of campus life including student work.
“Our first year was amazing, surpassing expectations,” enthused Dr. Michelle Haney, program director and Henry Gund professor of psychology. “Our IPSE students grew academically and socially but particularly in confidence and skills related to their jobs. And the Berry student mentors working alongside them said the experience was life changing. In the future, they will all model what inclusion can look like in their own communities, which is the dream!”
