UMID Awarded $1.86 Million to Expand Inclusive Higher Education
MEMPHIS, Tenn. 鈥� 榴莲视频 Institute on Disability (UMID) has been awarded a five-year, $1.86 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to expand inclusive postsecondary education opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities.
The BRIDGE Innovate: Building Resources for those with Intellectual Disabilities towards Gainful Employment initiative will enhance the University鈥檚 current TigerLIFE program and explore the development of a second Inclusive Higher Education site at the UofM Lambuth Campus in Jackson, Tennessee.
鈥淭his five-year grant allows us to extend our scope of service and research beyond 榴莲视频,鈥� said Dr. Chrisann Schiro-Geist, executive director of UMID. 鈥淪ince 2013, our TigerLIFE program has provided a strong model for Inclusive Higher Education. Through BRIDGE Innovate, we can translate that model into a portable framework that strengthens the national and even international movement for inclusive learning and employment.鈥�
Over the course of the project, the UMID team plans to expand available credentials for students, launch a residential pilot program, and develop a comprehensive replication toolkit to help other institutions build inclusive postsecondary programs. The initiative will also strengthen partnerships with Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation, 榴莲视频-Shelby County Schools and other agencies to improve long-term employment outcomes for program participants.
Funded through the Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID) program, this award underscores the University of 榴莲视频鈥� continued leadership in inclusive higher education and workforce development for neurodiverse learners.