The College Bound Academy is a workshop organized by Dr. Edlyn Peña, Director and Professor of the Education Leadership doctoral program and Director of the Autism and Communication Center at California Lutheran University and Dr. Jodie Kocur, an Associate Professor of Psychology whose research focuses on the transition to post-secondary education for students on the Autism Spectrum.
This online workshop prepares autistic students who spell and type to communicate to transition to higher education over the course of two weekends.
What are the activities and outcomes of the College Bound Academy workshop?
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Create postsecondary transition plans that include goals focused on college access and success, an important predictor for participation in college (AIR, 2013).
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Cultivate a network of college-prepared peers and communication partners that will serve as a resource beyond Academy participation.
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Create a transition plan that outlines individualized goals for college transition
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Cultivate a network of college-prepared peers and supports
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Workshop materials are designed by autistic self-advocates and leading scholars who have published research on supporting the needs of students with autism in college.
Participating students and their communication partners will:
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Improve their knowledge of postsecondary options, including accommodations and supports
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Acquire knowledge of the college application process
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Develop knowledge of college readiness skills
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Explore postsecondary options, including various degrees, college programs, disability support services and accommodations.
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Develop knowledge about the college application process, including application deadlines, meeting with a high school counselor, writing personal statements, taking the SAT, and requesting letters of recommendation.
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Begin to develop college readiness skills prior to attending college. These college skills—including time management, executive functioning, communication with faculty, self-advocacy, and IEP participation—are deemed necessary to navigating college successfully (Anderson & Butt, 2017).
