At Huntington University, inclusivity and accessibility are woven into the fabric of academic and student life—and there’s no better example of this than the Achieving Balance in Life through Education (ABLE) Program. The ABLE Program is designed to support students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, empowering them to experience campus life. The program provides students with a robust college experience that includes:

• Completing academic courses alongside their peers
• Developing social, daily living and independence skills
• Participating in campus-wide activities
• Advancing individual employment skills on campus and in the community

Until this year, the program has focused on commuter students, but with the support of a grant from AWS Foundation, a pilot program is paving the way for four residential students. Each student was assigned a residence hall room for use between classes during the day, and care was taken in arranging the furnishings and providing residential advisors to support each student’s individual needs.

This taste of residence life has had an immediate impact on the students’ time management skills, helping them plan their schedule throughout the day. It also positively impacted the larger student body, as they had new opportunities to interact with ABLE Program students outside the classrooms.

Providing valuable life skills and career training, the residential program helps demonstrate to the students’ families the range of opportunities that exist outside the home as they enter adulthood.

With courses tailored to the specific needs of each student, the ABLE program is now attracting students from across Northeast Indiana. Thanks to the commitment and dedication of the ABLE Program staff and the university at large, the full college experience is within reach of students with disabilities.

“We will continue to learn how best to support our students and help them succeed in this exciting adventure.”

—Amanda Seaman, Huntington University ABLE Program Coordinator