Social Work Connects to the Community
Bridges to Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½
Bridges to Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ is a collaboration between and Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ in which Bridges participants and Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ students attend brief,
accessible lectures delivered by Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ faculty on the college campus on a biweekly
basis. After the presentation, Bridges participants and Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ students form small
groups to discuss presentation content and their reactions. The weeks following the
lectures, Bridges and Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ students complete homework assignments together related
to the previous week’s lecture.
Bridges to Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ began in January 2010. Approximately 15 Bridges participants attend
each semester. After four semesters, Bridges participants graduate from the program
and a new cohort from Bridges begin their college journey. The objectives of this
project include increasing Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ students’ exposure to diverse groups; providing
a rigorous and meaningful learning experience for Bridges participants; enhancing
Âé¶¹¹û¶³´«Ã½ students’ ability to communicate with people with disabilities; and raising
awareness of issues related to disabilities among students and faculty.




