Western Carolina University Participant Program

The University Participant program located in Cullowhee, North Carolina and it started in 2007. The University has admitted 80 students to date. The program, like many other programs, has changed based on student and environmental needs as well as sometimes with variations have faced over the years with funding.

“We have expanded our number of students accepted each fall semester despite available funding and found creative ways to utilize resources and braided funding towards program sustainability. It is truly a student led and ran program (as we totally saw firsthand with graduation advocacy and the recent hurricane with students taking care of students).”

Despite a few changes over the years, Western Carolina has not changed its main mission and values, with focus on how the program was designed by practicing teachers when it was created in 2007, with emphasis and support centered around inclusiveness, residential experiences with on campus housing across more than one residence hall, person-centered planning, self-determination, competitive integrated employment, family partnerships, and inclusive community living. 

This is a two-year program which is the only one now in North Carolina.

“We have been scouring data and outcomes since we started in 2007 and feel the length of the program has not impacted outcomes as much as the overall quality of programs and services provided that increase outcomes and overall success. We have had some graduates over the years decide to live closer to Western Carolina University as they have found their support network in their jobs and housing around Cullowhee, but they have not continued taking courses at WCU with more of a focus on work and independent living.”

“The way our cohort is organized, our returning students in fall semesters mentor our incoming new students. Our graduates also come back and mentor our second year students for what comes after the program. This model works with mentoring across both our students, alumni, and family members. We have Alumni events such as WCU Homecoming, Open House events where they come back and share their success and wisdom that is planned with the WCU Open Houses for everyone, and graduation events. Some of our graduates serve as UP Ambassadors to schools along with families to help do outreach across our state sharing how college IS possible.”

“Out of our 56 graduates to date (soon to be 63 in the spring) we have achieved and sustained long term employment secession with 90% maintaining successful competitive integrated employment (20+ hours per week, working in a job with and without individuals with disabilities, doing comparable tasks, and getting at are above minimum wage). We currently have 55% of our graduates living outside of their families’ homes in a variety of living options that continue to foster their choice and voice with self-determination. “

This program will continue to seek high quality and work towards continued accreditation in 2030 when full accreditation is to be renewed.  The current vision for the program is to continue to represent 1% of the student population of WCU. A goal is to also continue collaboration across our state and nation to increase, expand, and train peer reviewers to provide rich technical assistance and accreditation standards and policies to others programs to expand or improve their quality practices. WCU will continue to support our students, support families and hopefully expand our continuous office staff to strengthen our outreach and alumni engagement as well as more long-term services/success to our current students and graduates.

A few of the students are married. Most recently, a couple who met at WCU, dated for 10 years after graduating and just had their wedding this past October. They own their own home, both have jobs and also went on their honeymoon solo to Colorado.

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Thank you, Dr. Kelly R. Kelley, Program Director.