The Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program (SDAP) staff and students attended the State of the Art (SOTA) Conference for inclusive post-secondary education programs on October 29-30, 2024. Held in various locations around the country, this year’s national conference was held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Fourth-year SDAP student, Nick Curry participated in the opening panel, sharing his experience in inclusive post-secondary education, specifically taking courses in recreation management and working at App State’s University Recreation as an operations manager. “This job has helped to prepare me for my future career goal in the field of recreation management,” he noted.
During another opportunity, SDAP students Nichaela Casey, Web English, Bridger Robinson, and Anne Carol Sheely enjoyed presenting with the Reich College of Education’s Anderson Reading Clinic’s Literacy Cast team: Dr. Devery Ward, Dr. Beth Frye, and Dr. Beth Buckholdz. For the presentation, the SDAP students showcased the books they created during their participation in the Literacy Cast class.
SDAP students also proudly shared about the Health and Wellness focus of the program at a Coffee Talk session open to all conference participants. As part of the SDAP program, students learn to make healthy eating choices, sample a range of exercise activities, and develop a toolkit of stress-reducing techniques. During the Coffee Talk, students fielded questions about which stress reduction and mindfulness tools they have in their toolkit and which exercise outlets they prefer. Remi Douglas impressed a conference participant with his culinary skills by preparing “lobster po’boy, and broccoli casserole” in the kitchen of his on-campus apartment.
One of the highlights of the conference for student participants was attending a dance party and karaoke night with their peers from around the country in a nightclub on Chapel Hill’s famous Franklin Street.
The conference is a dual conference having sessions for program staff and another set of sessions for inclusive post-secondary education program students. It was attended by more than 70 students and over 400 staff and other interested professionals from more than 42 programs at universities around the country.
App State was the top sponsor of the conference this year providing a warm North Carolina welcome to conference attendees. North Carolina is fast becoming a state known for inclusive post-secondary education recently adding four more programs. To date, the following University of North Carolina System institutions have or are launching programs: App State, Western Carolina University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina State University, and North Carolina Central University.
SDAP at conference
