For many young adults with disabilities, college may seem out of reach. At the University of Maryland, the TerpsEXCEED program is changing that.
The University of Maryland’s TerpEXCEED program has opened doors for students with disabilities, giving them the chance to gain independence and fully experience campus life. The program, a two-year postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities, allows participants to experience college alongside their peers.
Students are enrolled at the university for two years, live in residence halls, take at least 12 credits per semester, join clubs and complete internships. Each student creates their own “mini major,” geared toward their interests, according toTerpsEXCEED director Amy D’Agati.
“This is truly for students who would not be able to go through any traditional admissions process to earn a degree, but want to continue their learning, so it’s fully inclusive,” said D’Agati.Â
The program was created in September 2021 as the first of its kind in Maryland, when D’Agati realized other states offered college opportunities for students with disabilities. She explained schools in Maryland kept the students in high school until they were at the age of 21, rather than giving them a true college experience.
Her inspiration for the initiative was also personal.Â
D’Agati’s brother has autism and he did a college program at a community college where he worked and took classes as it was life-changing for him, she said.
“That was always in the back of my head,” said D’Agati. “How important it was for him, so I was like, we can do this here.”
Currently, there are 14 students enrolled and 12 graduates, who are all working at some capacity in various fields.
A big part of the program’s success is the peer mentor and certification class.Â
Participants are paired with another Maryland student who helps them navigate campus and social life. The class also helps mentors grow, as these students who come from more than 40 different majors, will go into their field with a new understanding of disability, D’Agati said.
Sophomore special education major and peer mentor Grace Henderson said the class has been eyeopening.Â
“The program has taught me that there is such beauty and so many benefits to being around people that have different experiences and backgrounds,” Henderson said.
To support graduates adjusting to life after college, TerpsEXCEED recently added the Plus One Alumni Year, where graduates live independently in inclusive housing in College Park while still receiving support from staff and peer mentors.
“It’s an additional third year to do a little extra support and training on what’s life after as an alum,” D’Agati said.
Looking forward, D’Agati wants to replicate TerpsEXCEED at other Maryland universities, including Towson University and Salisbury University, to give more students access to inclusive higher education.
“Not everybody wants to come to the University of Maryland, some people might want smaller schools,” said D’Agati. “So if we can replicate… everybody has options the way anybody else does. That’s our goal.”Â