For the second year in a row, SITE (Skills for Independence, Transition and Employment) students joined IUPUI Bridge Week sections. The students participated in educational and fun experiences, such as ice breaker activities, a Special Olympics lecture, walking the canal, and playing ultimate frisbee and flag football.
The SITE Program is a partnership between Indianapolis Public Schools and IUPUI that allows students with intellectual disabilities to participate in activities on campus.
Beginning in 2022, SITE students joined kinesiology sessions during Bridge Week for a canal walk. These sections were taught by Rachel Swinford, Stephen Fallowfield, and Keith Naugle. SITE students had previously participated in kinesiology classes through collaboration with the chair of the department, Mark Urtel.
Swinford is a clinical associate professor in the kinesiology department, as well as a faculty fellow in the Institute for Engaged Learning for first-year experience and ePortfolio. According to Maggie Brown, one of the SITE teachers, Swinford and Lisa Angermeier, another clinical associate professor in kinesiology, initiated the involvement of SITE students in these sessions.
“Rachel Swinford is such an advocate," Brown said. "She reached out to us, we had a meeting with her prior to the start of the fall semester, and she asked if our cohort would like to participate with her group. She provided us with a calendar of events, and that is how we knew about all of these different activities that we could talk to our students about and get involved in during Bridge Week.”
In their continued collaborations, Swinford opened even more opportunities for the program to be involved in the Bridge Week sections.
“I think it was just the canal walk that we did last year,” Brown said. “This year, we had our students participate in a lot more activities, and I know they really enjoyed that. We're just trying to immerse them in and give them an opportunity to experience as much as possible, and so [Rachel] has really allowed for them to have that opportunity in partnering with her.”
Students in the kinesiology Bridge Week and first-year seminar sections also had the opportunity to interact more with SITE students through service learning. The Bridge section partnered with three organizations: SITE, Special Olympics Indiana, and Down Syndrome Indiana. Each organization introduced their mission to students during Bridge Week.
Students who wanted to volunteer with SITE could either participate in Indianapolis city excursions or assist during elective classes, such as weight lifting and personal fitness. To fulfill service learning hours, Bridge students taught SITE students budgeting and Google programs, supported them while at the fitness garden, and led a walking club around campus.
“SITE students would look forward to their arrival and ask if they would be coming to class,” Brown said. “Service learners are key to SITE students feeling more involved and included, and it's always a joy to watch the interactions. Not to mention they are so positive, agreeable, and willing to pitch in whenever needed.”
Brown hopes that the connection between SITE and Bridge Week programs continues to grow due to the success that has already come from the partnership.
“I'm very grateful for the outreach and the opportunity for students to be included with IUPUI students,” Brown said. “That's how we build community and how we make connections. I'm grateful they had the opportunity to do more this year, and I hope in the future we have the opportunity to continue educating and giving students the opportunity to shine in all ways.”
For more information, contact the Division of Undergraduate Education Office of Communications at duecomm@iupui.edu.