Stony Brook University recently hosted its third annual Student Accessibility Support Center (SASC) Summer Transition Program, a weeklong residential initiative designed to help incoming students with disabilities adjust to college life. The program, which took place from July 20-24, was offered at no cost and aimed to connect participants with campus resources and support networks before the start of the academic year.
Students lived in campus residence halls and participated in daily workshops, evening activities, and sessions led by SASC staff and peer mentors. According to Nicholas Lajoie, CARE manager at SASC, “We were seeing that a lot of incoming students were feeling overwhelmed and apprehensive about starting college. 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.”
Fifteen students attended the in-person program this year. An additional five joined a new online offering called Beyond High School: Jumpstart Your College Success. This virtual series covered topics such as time management, executive functioning, communication skills, and self-advocacy through Zoom sessions earlier in July.
Participants engaged in workshops focused on academic success strategies, accessing campus resources, and developing life skills. Several university offices collaborated on these efforts by leading resource tours or hosting informational sessions.
Lajoie explained that programming is tailored based on student feedback: “We design sessions around what our students report struggling with the most. 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 was emphasized through activities like Wellness Night—an event featuring baking, crafts, games, tie-dyeing shirts, Lego building—which took place on the first evening of the program. Morgan Suchy, accommodation flex specialist at SASC said: “Wellness Night helped students connect early on in the week. 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 contributed by pairing upper-level student mentors—many former transition program participants—with newcomers adjusting to college life. Suchy noted: “A portion of ACE mentees come from the summer program… 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.”
In addition to structured programming, informal interactions between staff and participants addressed personal routines such as medication management or adapting daily habits for independent living.
All incoming freshmen registered with SASC are eligible for participation regardless of prior formal educational plans like IEPs or 504s; some attendees had not previously received accommodations but sought support entering college for the first time.
The week concluded with a student-led closing session followed by family breakfast and orientation where parents observed notable growth among their children over just five days. Lajoie remarked: “On day one you’ll see parents nudging their kids to speak up… By last day those same students are confidently showing their families around… The growth in just five days is remarkable.”
Student feedback highlighted increased comfort navigating campus environments as well as improved confidence asking for help; parents expressed satisfaction regarding smoother transitions into university life.
Looking forward Stony Brook plans continued expansion of both physical attendance options as well as remote offerings underlining ongoing institutional commitment toward equity inclusion accessibility for all members of its community.
“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.”
