Beckwith Hall

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Beckwith Hall

• A Holistic Approach Toward Mentoring in
  Post-Secondary Education
• Presented by
• Paige Lewis, M.S. and
• Carmen Sutherland

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Objectives

• To increase knowledge concerning barriers to
  post-secondary education transitional success.
• To increase knowledge of a multi-dimensional
  approach that minimizes barriers and maximizes
  outcomes for individuals with severe disabilities
  to achieve a personal level of independence and
  success upon graduation.
• To increase understanding from a students
  perspective regarding the use of this approach
  toward her future goals and aspirations.

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History of Beckwith Hall

• 1959 Students with Severe Physical Disabilities
  resided in Greenbrier Nursing Home
• 1961 Tanbrier Residence opened
• 1978 Regulations for Rehab Act enacted
• 1981 Beckwith Hall opened
• Not the preferred option of the students, but the
  only option
• Served approximately 14-15 students with severe
  disabilities
• All PA personnel were live-ins hired exclusively
  by the staff
• Director was an RN who lived in a residence
  suite.

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Beckwith Mission

• The mission of Beckwith Hall, within the Division
  of Disability Resources and Educational Services
  (DRES), at the University of Illinois at
  Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) is to provide housing,
  personal assistant, and disability services to
  Beckwith residents in a manner that will assist
  them in attainment of their personal goals.

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Beckwith Mission

• Beckwith services are based on individual student
  needs and goals, which are designed to maximize a
  students independent living skills at a comfort
  level which is defined by the student.
• A secondary mission of Beckwith is to attempt to
  recreate the typical University setting, allowing
  the Beckwith students increased assimilation into
  the University as a whole.

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Beckwith Students

• Current Beckwith Data-Students with Disabilities
• 6 women and 11 men.
• All students use electric wheelchairs for all or
  part of their day.
• 5 have traumatic disabilities, ie Spinal Cord
  Injury, Spina Bifida.
• 12 residents have congenital disabilities, i.e.
  Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, etc.
• 15 are undergraduate students
• 2 are graduate students studying-Law and
  Architecture

• General Beckwith Data
• Accommodates 20-22 students with disabilities
• Supports 2 live-in Graduate Resident Advisors
• Supports 8-10 live-in personal assistant staff
• 87 Graduation Rate of Beckwith Students since
  its opening in 1981

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Barriers to Transitional Success

• Ineffectual preparation for personal independence
  and social/vocational mobility leading to
• Limited self-advocacy preparation
• Limited knowledge of personal safety strategies
• Inadequate disability management strategies
• Poorly developed executive skills
• Insufficient knowledge and training in health and
  wellness promotion
• Limited or no work experience

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Multi-dimensional Approach

• Illinois Students taking Effective Preparation
  (I-STEP)
• Transitional Disability Management Program (TDMP)
• Mentoring Program
• Trans-Disciplinary Team

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I-STEP

• Annual Transition Program for all U of I Students
  with Disabilities through the Division of
  Disability Resources and Educational Services.
• One day transition program designed to
  effectively prepare students for their first year
  of college at the University of Illinois
  including on-line modules.
• In addition to the general preparation, on-line
  modules exist for Beckwith students to complete
  the summer before they reside at Beckwith and/or
  the first fall semester they are on campus as
  part of their Transitional Disability Management
  Plan (TDMP).

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I-STEP Goals

• Introduction to services offered by DRES.
• Overview of academic accommodations for students
  with disabilities and how those differ from high
  school accommodations.
• How to become an effective advocate for yourself.
• Understanding strengths and weaknesses secondary
  to disability.
• Time management/study skill strategies and
  effective learning habits.
• Use of assistive technology/computer skills and
  how these can help them.
• Orientation to college life and UIUC.

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Beckwith I-STEP Modules

• Statement of Purpose
• The purpose of these modules is to provide
  students who will be living at Beckwith Hall an
  opportunity to assess and increase knowledge and
  abilities related to university living,
  disability management and life management, for a
  smoother and more productive transition into the
  University of Illinois.

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1.0 Assessment-Entering Disability Life
Management Knowledge and Skills

• Statement of Purpose To provide a
  self-assessment tool that assists students and
  Beckwith Staff to better identify strengths and
  areas of growth which may be used to develop an
  individualized TDMP, and support a smoother
  transition into Beckwith Hall and the University
  of Illinois.

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2.0 Personal Assistant Management

• Statement of Purpose To provide learning
  experiences that assist students in acquiring the
  knowledge and skills needed to effectively hire,
  supervise and evaluate personal assistants.
• To demonstrate knowledge of how to best recruit
  personal assistants based on academic and
  personal needs.
• To demonstrate ability to interview and hire
  potential personal assistants for the semester.
• To demonstrate ability to teach new personal
  assistants how to best assist in activities of
  daily living (ADL).
• To demonstrate ability to supervise and evaluate
  personal assistants regarding strengths and areas
  of growth.
• To demonstrate knowledge of staff disciplinary
  procedures at Beckwith Hall.

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3.0 Self-Advocacy

• Statement of Purpose To provide learning and
  practice situations for students to become
  self-advocates in situations dealing with housing
  and transportation issues.
• 3.1 To demonstrate knowledge of basic rights and
  responsibilities for people with disabilities,
• 3.2 To demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to
  advocate for accessible housing within and
  outside the university community.
• 3.3 To demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to
  access and advocate for accessible transportation

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4.0 Beckwith Residence Hall Living

• Statement of Purpose To facilitate adjustment
  to the living community of Beckwith Hall.
• 4.1 To demonstrate knowledge and awareness of
  personal rights and responsibilities of sharing a
  suite within Beckwith Hall.
• 4.2 To demonstrate knowledge and potential
  involvement of the Beckwith Student Government
  (BSG).
• 4.3 To demonstrate knowledge of Beckwith and
  Housing Hallmark policies and procedures.
• 4.4 To demonstrate knowledge and skills needed to
  utilize Beckwith staff, i.e., floater, night
  clerk, meal assistant, live-in PA, and personal
  PA.
• 4.5 To demonstrate an awareness of opportunities
  outside of Beckwith Hall for educational,
  professional, and social experiences.

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5.0 Life Management

• Statement of Purpose To provide learning and
  practice experiences which improve ability to
  approach university life being proactive and
  taking personal responsibility for decisions and
  actions.
• 5.1 To demonstrate ability to meet personal and
  academic goals through use of effective time
  management.
• 5.2 To demonstrate ability to make decisions with
  confidence and knowledge of the
  ramifications/consequences of decisions.
• 5.3 To demonstrate knowledge and methods of
  stress management techniques that are personally
  useful for managing stress associated with
  university life.
• 5.4 To demonstrate knowledge of healthy eating
  within a residence hall and personal
  responsibility for dietary choices.
• 5.5 To demonstrate an awareness of preventive
  health measures and knowledge of resources to
  access with health related issues.

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Transitional Disability Management Plan

• Formal educational program designed to improve
  the disability management knowledge and skills of
  the residents of Beckwith Hall.
• Students are encouraged to participate, but they
  are not required.
• Individualized plan for each resident with a
  disability.

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Areas of focus may include the following

• Improved knowledge of disability laws and
  disability resources
• Improved skill in advocating for access and
  reasonable accommodation
• Improved physical and/or functional capacity
• Improved social integration
• Maximal independence in the performance of
  activity of daily living
• Acquisition of the knowledge, and skills
  necessary to allow the student to benefit
  maximally from the use of available assistive
  technology
• Acquisition of the knowledge and skills necessary
  for independent personal attendant management
• Successful transition to internships and/or
  permanent employment upon graduation
• Learn skills necessary to acquire accessible
  housing

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Mentoring

• The program has 3 different components
• Returning Students with New Students
• Matches new students with a returning student
  mentor
• Mentors return to school at the beginning of fall
  semester the day before new students arrive
• Beckwith Alumni with Current Students
• Match Alumni with current Beckwith students to
  provide knowledge and support for career
  transitioning, personal assistant management and
  other areas of mutual interest
• Beckwith Students with Illinois High School
  Students with Disabilities
• Yet to be developed at this time

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Trans-Disciplinary Team

• DRES
• Resource Facilitator
• Psychological Counseling
• Assistive communication, assessment,
  consultation and support
• Beckwith Hall
• Director
• Associate Director
• Disability Specialist

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program.

• Preparation in High School
• Parents were PAs with assistance of one other.
• Parents advocated for my care and training to
  other PA.
• Time management was focused on academics only.

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program

• Issues as a Freshman and Sophomore
• How to effectively communicate my needs while
  hiring and training new PAs.
• Advocating for myself to make sure my needs were
  met academically and personally.
• Adjusting to need to be flexible with PA staff
  and scheduling.
• Improve problem-solving skills.
• Develop time management strategies to encompass
  academics, extra-curricular activities and
  socializing.

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program

• Progression of skill utilization from
  Sophomore-Senior year
• Involved in TDMP where I focused on all of those
  difficult areas.
• Each year built on the previous years skill
  developments and progression towards the skills
  that I would need to attain prior to graduation.
• Improving marketability by working over the
  summer.
• Update Cover Letter/Resume, and working on
  networking.
• Utilizing resources available through DRES.

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program

• Progression of skill utilization from
  Sophomore-Senior year
• Hiring own PAs this year, not utilizing
  Beckwiths resources.
• Improving time management skills further.
• Understand what I need to look for in accessible
  housing and budgeting.
• Very comfortable in advocating for myself.

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program

• Goals upon graduation
• Earn a masters degree in rehabilitation
  counseling or disability studies.
• Obtain a job in this field.
• Locate housing that meets my needs, that I can
  afford on my salary, and get to work without a
  lot of difficulty.
• Develop resources for hiring/locating PAs either
  live-in or other which are reliable, affordable,
  and trustworthy.
• Develop a social life.
• Maintain or modify time management skills to
  adjust to my new lifestyle.

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A students perspective of implementation of
resources/program

• Involvement in Mentoring Program
• Allowing freshman to obtain advice and empathy
  from upper classmen.
• Increase comfort level on campus with elaborate
  tour of class locations.
• Relationship development
• Mentors were able to demonstrate competencies

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Midwest

• Midwest Alliance in Science, Technology,
• Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)
• A 5-year mentoring program funded by the
  National Science Foundation stimulating learning
  activities and supportive academic programs that
  will encourage students with disabilities from
  Middle-High School, Undergraduate and Graduate
  studies who demonstrate academic excellence and
  potential for success in STEM to succeed
• Please visit their website for more information
  www.stemmidwest.org