Inclusive Post-Secondary Education

Connecting Pokes at 7220

What if every young adult with an intellectual disability in Wyoming saw college as an option?

The two-year Connecting Pokes @ 7220 program, run by the Wyoming Institute for Disabilities since 2025, provides students with the skills, education, and career training needed to achieve greater independence, opportunities, and employment success.

Students get access to the full college experience, with the ability to live on campus, take classes, and enjoy all aspects of student life with the support they need. This is a two year program for students who graduated high school with alternative state standards and do not meet the requirements for general admission to the University of Wyoming.

This program supports students’ academic, social, and career development with appropriate peer mentorship.

Three students standing in front of UW's Health Sciences building.
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COLLEGE IS FOR EVERYONE:

Inclusive Post-Secondary Education (IPSE) programs are designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities to access college experiences that support academic, social, and career development with appropriate peer mentorship. These programs exist at more than 350 colleges and universities across the U.S. and have been shown to improve employment outcomes and quality of life for students.

 

The cohort starting in Fall 2026, has three students with two living full time on campus in the dorms.

Program Expectations

Students should be:

  • Motivated to achieve greater independence;
  • Excited for college success and campus experience;
  • Interested in exploring new work opportunities;
  • Looking forward to social opportunities including peer mentoring;

Desired Student Characteristics

  • Age 18 - 25 at the time of admission;
  • Documented intellectual disability;
  • Ability to be independent in dorms overnight & manage own medications*;
  • Ability to communicate wants and needs;
  • Demonstrates appropriate behavior in college and professional settings;

*Requirement for living on campus

Think Higher. Think College.

"What if every young adult with intellectual disability in the United States saw college as an option?"

 

The “Think Higher. Think College.” public awareness campaign is designed to build awareness and expand access to college for students with intellectual disability. Our goals are to increase knowledge of inclusive college options, share information about the benefits and outcomes of students with intellectual disability attending college, and offer people ways to spread the message: “Think Higher. Think College.”

 

The “Think Higher. Think College.” public awareness campaign was developed by Think College’s Inclusive Higher Education Network."

 

-From the Think Higher. Think College. website homepage

Learn More

For more information about WIND's inclusive post-secondary program, Connecting Pokes @ 7220

contact Stephanie Wodahl at swodahl1@uwyo.edu

Contact Us

Wyoming Institute for Disabilities

  • 1000 E. University Ave
  • Laramie, WY 82071
  • Dept. 4298
  • Toll Free: (888) 989-9463
  • TeleType: (800) 908-7011
  • Fax: (307) 766-2763
  • Email: uwwind@uwyo.edu
  • Phone: (307) 766-2761
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The University of Wyoming has earned its Research Level 1 (R1) status from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, placing Wyoming's only four-year university with the top research universities in the United States.