For more than a decade, April Regester has been a driving force helping establish the University of Missouri–St. Louis as a national leader in inclusive postsecondary education. Regester was instrumental in the creation of the Succeed Program, which provides opportunities for UMSL students with intellectual disability to cultivate academic, independent living and vocational skills. She’s continued to advance the field by helping launch the Inclusive Postsecondary Education Association, a first-of-its-kind national membership organization for professionals and advocates.
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WHAT SPURRED THE CREATION OF THE IPSE ASSOCIATION?
We have leaders across the country who have been involved with inclusive postsecondary education programs and regional alliances to provide opportunities for collaboration, professional development, community building and refinement of best practices since 2015. As more and more programs started at higher education institutions over the years, momentum built. The federal government has been supportive of these efforts, offering grants to support these programs since 2010. The national coordinating center for these grants, Think College, also obtained secondary federal funding in 2021 to establish the Think College Network. With this funding, efforts were put toward the development of additional regional alliances and discussions around the creation of a national membership organization. By May 2024, a planning committee was formed that included leaders and organizations across the country to make that dream a reality.
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CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE ORGANIZATION’S MISSION?
The IPSE Association is a membership organization of professionals and advocates committed to the inclusion of people with intellectual disability in postsecondary education. Our purpose is to increase access to quality inclusive postsecondary education for that demographic by building community, advancing knowledge, supporting advocacy and developing leaders. The mission is to build a community of professionals and advocates that advances policy and practice to achieve that goal. We envision that people with intellectual disability are included and supported at all colleges and universities to pursue their desired life goals.
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WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO CONNECT INCLUSIVE EDUCATORS ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND PROVIDE SUPPORT THROUGH THE IPSE ASSOCIATION?
As the field is so new and rapidly growing, it is critical that we collaborate and support each other in developing high-quality programming and establishing evidence-based best practices that increase positive outcomes for young people with intellectual disability. As with most fields, having a national organization helps build community, foster partnerships, and advance research in the field while also providing professional development and strengthening advocacy and leadership.