Stony Brook University welcomed a group of incoming students to campus for its third annual Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC) Summer Transition Program, a weeklong residential initiative that helps students with disabilities adjust to college life before they arrive in the fall.
Offered at no cost to participants, the program connects students with campus resources and key partners, ensuring they are well-prepared for the start of their academic journey at Stony Brook. Students reside in campus residence halls, engage in daily workshops and evening activities, and receive guidance from SASC staff and peer mentors.
The program, held July 20-24, was created in response to national trends showing that students with disabilities often experience lower graduation rates and lower rates of college adjustment in comparison to peers without disabilities.
“We were seeing that a lot of incoming students were feeling overwhelmed and apprehensive about starting college,” said Nicholas Lajoie, CARE manager at SASC. “This program allows them to reflect on their needs, experience a college environment for the first time, and go home with new tools and skills to adapt to the challenges and differences of college academics and life.”
This year, 15 students participated in the in-person program. An additional five students took part in a new online offering, Beyond High School: Jumpstart Your College Success, piloted earlier in July. The Zoom-based series covered time management, executive functioning, communication skills and self-advocacy. About 10 percent of all Stony Brook undergraduate students are registered with the SASC office.
Students attended sessions on academic success, campus resources and life skills. Campus partners such as the Academic Success and Tutoring Center, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), Undergraduate Colleges, Career Center, Campus Residences, Center for Prevention and Outreach (CPO), the CARE Team, Student Support Team and Campus Recreation and Wellness led workshops and resource tours.
“We design sessions around what our students report struggling with the most,” said Lajoie. “Accessing services for the first time can be intimidating. So we bring students to campus offices during the program, and it removes that initial barrier. We want students to feel they have that one person in a large school that they can go to when challenges arise.”
Social integration is another key focus of the week. One of this year’s highlights was the introduction of our Wellness Night, held on the program’s first evening. Students participated in activities like baking, tie-dyeing shirts, Lego building, outdoor games and crafts.
“Wellness Night helped students connect early on in the week,” said Morgan Suchy, accommodation flex specialist at SASC. “In past years, those relationships wouldn’t start forming until day two or three. But this year, we saw friendships developing from day one.”
The Academic Community Engagement (ACE) Mentor Program also plays an important role in helping students acclimate to college life. ACE mentors are upper-level students, many of whom are alumni of the transition program themselves. “A portion of ACE mentees come from the summer program,” Suchy said. “We now have students who started as participants working as ACE peer mentors and even student staff in our office. It’s a full pipeline of support.”
Throughout the week, students also had opportunities for downtime, games and informal conversations with staff. “That’s when we really get to know them,” said Lajoie. “We talk about things like medication management or personal routines — areas they may not have considered as challenges until they’re living on their own.”
SASC ensures that each student’s unique needs are met before arrival. Students attending the program first complete the general SASC registration and intake process. The program is open to any incoming freshman registered with SASC, regardless of whether they had a formal IEP or 504 plan in high school. “Sometimes students come in without ever having received accommodations, but they now realize they need support,” Lajoie noted. “We want to reach those students early, but we’re also here to help whenever they’re ready.”
The program culminates with a student-led closing session and a family breakfast and orientation on the final day of the program. “On day one, you’ll see parents nudging their kids to speak up. By the last day, those same students are confidently showing their families around and reflecting on everything they’ve learned,” Lajoie said. “The growth in just five days is remarkable.”
Student feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “I had a lot of fun! Through the program, I was able to explore, learn the layout of the campus, and find my way around. I also got to experience what it’s like to live on campus, learn about some helpful services that SBU offers, and make a bunch of new friends,” a transition program student said. Many noted they now feel more prepared to live in a dorm, more comfortable navigating campus and more confident in knowing where and how to ask for help.
Parents and guardians were also pleased with the outcomes of the program. “I am so impressed with this program and the people who staff it. I know it has been an invaluable experience for our son,” noted a parent of one participant. “Transitions have been historically challenging for him, so the opportunity to dip his toe in the shallow end before taking the plunge next month has been wonderful for him. He also reported making new friends and those connections will undoubtedly make him feel more comfortable in the fall.”
The SASC Summer Transition Program is part of a broader effort by the university to promote equity and access. Looking ahead, SASC is excited to continue expanding both the in-person and virtual components of the transition program. “We’re a small office at a large university,” said Suchy. “But every one of us is here to make sure students with disabilities have what they need to feel seen and supported.”
For more information on SASC services and supports, contact SASC at SASC@stonybrook.edu.
— Beth Squire
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