University to Offer Inclusive Higher Education Program

Participants will enroll in classes, engage in college life and eventually pursue certificates that prepare them for employment. The goal of READY is to promote greater independence and inclusion for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, or IDD, and prepare the next generation to be active, thriving members of their communities, UM organizers said.

"READY will embody the spirit of Ole Miss at its best – joy-filled, caring and passionate," said Cade Smith, assistant vice chancellor for access and community engagement and the program's co-lead. "Inclusive higher education creates new pathways for independence while enriching student life, teaching and research across the university.

"READY is not just a program; it's a promising path to a brighter, more prosperous future."

To make READY affordable and accessible to all interested students, the university is working to secure $125,000 in private gifts. So far, more than $30,000 has been pledged. These funds will directly support the programming and personnel that will make READY a transformational experience.

"When we celebrate the first cohort of READY graduates, every person in the room will feel the joy and pride of that moment," Smith said." Donors will know they helped make it possible. They will be more than witnesses; they'll be partners in changing lives and strengthening the Ole Miss story for generations to come."

An informational program on READY is set for 5-7 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Paul B. Johnson Commons. The event is open to anyone interested in learning more about the program, including community members, business owners, prospective donors, faculty, staff, students and friends. RSVPs are not required but are requested.

A winter orientation event in January will introduce potential participants and their families to the READY four-week summer residential experience, which is set for July 2026. READY will provide a bridge for IDD students who are entering their last year of high school or just beginning life after graduation.

"It allows them to 'try on' a residential college experience while helping Ole Miss 'try on' a new model of education," Smith said. "Participants will leave READY with a clearer sense of their strengths, areas for growth and a plan for their next steps."

Smith expects Ole Miss to launch a multiple-year residential IHEP and set the standard for excellence in the Southeastern Conference.

The READY staff for the summer program will include a lead teacher, two instructional leaders, two student directors and 14 peer mentors. Tori Laing, a co-lead for READY and an access services adviser, predicts READY will have a ripple effect, helping Ole Miss better support all students.

"My hope – and belief – is that READY will help create a more inclusive and vibrant culture at the University of Mississippi," she said. "By planning for differences up front, we're supporting students in the program while building up a campus environment that values and embraces difference as a whole.

"When we do that, we create systems and supports that benefit everyone."

The READY program was developed from two Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College student theses submitted by 2024 graduate Bailey Beaird, of Dallas, and 2025-26 senior Emily Davis, of Benton, Louisiana. READY is housed in the Division of Student Affairs, with collaborative partnerships with the School of Education, School of Applied Sciences, Department of Student Housing and several other UM units.

Melanie Dowell – a Jackson business professional, Ole Miss alumna and grandmother of a Down Syndrome toddler – said the UM program is needed because the number of programs serving individuals with IDD is limited and Mississippi's workforce lacks entry-level employees.

"Mississippi is waking up to the fact that we have a workforce we're overlooking," Dowell said. "Studies show when you have IDD employees, the overall attitude of all employees, the general culture and the comradery of the company improves. Employers find that these special-needs adults are great hires, as their contagious spirits permeate organizations.

"These individuals feel valued and accomplished and want to come to work each day. I would hope that all kinds of doors will open for READY participants and that the program gives their parents hope for their children's futures."

To support the IHEP, send a check with READY written in the memo line to the University of Mississippi Foundation, 406 University Ave., Oxford, MS 38655; or give online here.

To learn more about READY, contact Cade Smith, assistant vice chancellor for access and community engagement, at cade@olemiss.edu or 662-915-2933.

Top: The university is launching a four-week summer residential program in 2026 for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. READY, an inclusive higher education program, will give participants a college experience, while they learn greater independence and enjoy inclusion. A winter preview event kicks off in January to introduce potential participants and their families to the program. Adobe Stock photo