STRIDES, Students Together Representing Individuals with Disabilities through Education and Scholarships, is a 501(c)3 certified nonprofit organization that assists and advocates for persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their pursuit of a postsecondary education.
STRIDES was founded by a group of Texas A&M students of different ages, backgrounds, and experiences who all came together towards one goal—to open the doors of higher education for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Each of our board members, interns, and professional volunteers holds our mission close to heart with a passion to highlight the amazing work done by the post-secondary programs, students, and staff we support.
Our Mission
Our team works to provide scholarships and grants to students with IDD to help alleviate the financial burden associated with attending a postsecondary educational program. Furthermore, we want to change the culture around education and individuals with IDD by holding events and raising awareness for students and the programs they attend.
“We have a responsibility to ensure that every individual has the opportunity to receive a high-quality education, from prekindergarten to […] higher education and beyond.”
– Jim Jeffords
Pursuing postsecondary education and careers is a privilege that many of us take for granted. Growing up, most people never have to wonder if they might get a chance to go to college or live on their own. Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities have the same hopes and dreams as everyone else, and receiving a postsecondary education is one of the first steps in moving out on their own and starting a career.
At STRIDES, we hope to bring education from a distant, unattainable goal to a genuine and tangible opportunity. In this pursuit, we also want to highlight the efforts of the students and staff of these programs to give them the credit they deserve.
Learn more about the programs we currently serve, PATHS and Aggie ACHIEVE, here.
Three Pillars of Our Mission:
Scholarships
Our primary mission is to raise money that will be put toward scholarship opportunities for potential students. This will help remove the financial burden associated with postsecondary programs.
The PATHS Certificate program can cost around $35,000, and the Aggie ACHIEVE program can cost up to $136,000. Lack of financial aid is the most common reason students cannot attend, and we plan to change that reality!
Awareness
In addition to financial aid, we will work to bring awareness to educational programs like the PATHS Certificate program and the Aggie ACHIEVE program, which are so important for individuals with disabilities.
We will utilize events and advertisements to spread the word about these fantastic programs and others! With this awareness, we hope to see these programs grow and expand across different college campuses.
Support
As an organization, we want STRIDES to serve as the support system for students with IDD, their families, and programs that serve to benefit them.
Our goal is to provide financial support and create a community around these individuals who care about them and their futures. Without this community and inter-organizational cooperation, we would be unable to change the negative associations surrounding individuals with IDD truly.