Postsecondary Transition Programs and the UI REACH (Realizing Educational and Career Hopes) Program

Earlier this year I watched two excellent feature films created by students in the Daily Iowan Documentary Workshop at The University of Iowa. The first film, Chasing Greatness: Wrestling Life, premiered in March on the Big Ten Network. The second film, Lost in the In-Between: Graduating into 2020, debuted May 4 at Iowa City’s FilmScene. https://stories.uiowa.edu/shaping-next-generation-documentary-filmmakers

At Filmscene, I had the privilege of meeting one of the filmmakers, Daniel McGregor-Huyer,  a photojournalist and videographer at The Daily Iowan. At that time he was a senior majoring in cinematic arts with a certificate in disability studies. Some of his beautiful photography is posted at https://dailyiowan.com/staff_name/daniel-mcgregor-huyer/  Later, I read a 2023 Graduate Spotlight article about Daniel at https://stories.uiowa.edu/spring-2023-graduate-spotlight-daniel-mcgregor-huyer  in which he described his experience in the UI REACH program that he credits for his successful transition to college. 

UI REACH is a four-year postsecondary comprehensive transition program (CTP) of the UI’s College of Education for college-age students with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. It offers an integrated college experience in a caring and structured environment that focuses on academics, career and transition, social growth, and campus life. For information see https://education.uiowa.edu/reach

In the July issue of Iowa Magazine, I read an article by UI alum Suzanne Bartlett Hackenmiller, in which she described how the REACH program helped her son with autism find independence.  https://magazine.foriowa.org/story.php?ed=true&storyid=2341

"Comprehensive transition postsecondary programs" (CTP) is defined in the Higher Education Opportunity Act as a degree, certificate or non-degree program that is:

• offered by an institution of higher education;

• designed to support students with with disabilities who are seeking to continue academic, career, and technical education, and independent living instruction at an institution of higher education to prepare for gainful employment; and

• includes an advising and curriculum structure.

For more about REACH and the expanding postsecondary opportunities for students with disabilities, I suggest reading the articles at https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1070260.pdf and https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/epdf/10.1089/aut.2021.0042