The Achieve Program:
Giving Parents Hope
By Judith Lindenberger
For young adults with learning disabilities, college support programs are often critical for academic success. While the range and quality of services vary widely from campus to campus, the Achieve Program at Southern Illinois University has found a winning formula.
Started in 1978 by the late Dr. Barbara Cordoni, Achieve was then the first extensive program to help undergraduate and graduate students with learning disabilities. Today, it remains noteworthy for its comprehensiveness, offering everything from diagnostic testing and individual planning through ongoing support under the tutelage of a highly trained, experienced, and committed staff.
“Achieve asks the same of its students as any other college. We expect them to be successful…When students believe they can achieve, they are free to
be who they ought to be.”
Barbara Cordoni, Ed.D
Founder of the Achieve Program
Services from A to Z
The program, which is voluntary and confidential, accepts students on a first-come, first served basis. To qualify, a student must have a diagnosed learning disability and the potential to achieve at the college level. Before acceptance, candidates undergo two days of diagnostic testing. If accepted, they have access to a range of support services including audio books, test proctoring, tutoring, note-taking, and mentoring by trained grad students.
Over the past 30-plus years the program has had many successes, including one that left a unique legacy. Several years ago Achieve accepted a young man who read at the first grade level. By the time he graduated, he was reading at the tenth grade level. His goal was to become an architect. After completing an internship and passing several professional tests, his first assignment was to design a building adjacent to the Achieve offices.
It’s no wonder Cordoni was fond of saying, “We give parents hope.”
Learn more about the Achieve Program at www.achieveprogram.siuc.edu