Back to School: Elli Starts College at UCM

We checked in with Elli and her mom Sharon back in May when she had made the big decision to head off to college, a major step in anyone’s life. Elli was thrilled about beginning college at the University of Central Missouri to pursue a career in child development. Already working with kids at her church and in her community, she sees spending her life with children as the obvious choice.

Fast forward three months, and August has arrived. Summer has come and gone (although the heat has definitely remained!).  Uniforms, classes, and caffeine have returned for the  Back to School Season. We checked back in with Elli, after classes started on Tuesday, August 26 at UCM.

Sharon, Elli's proud mama explains,  

"Elli is absolutely thrilled with her new college life!  She is embracing friends, schedules, online homework, doing laundry, really everything! She has asked for help when needed and learned that she needs to not stay up late! Elli is so proud as she knows this is a real accomplishment and amazing opportunity."

Elli’s classes include Freshman seminar, literacy, technology, health & fitness, and an audited UCM class called Valuing Differences. Her classes will take place mostly in the School of Education, Lovinger Hall, and the Rec Center.  

Elli is attending UCM as part of their THRIVE program. UCM created THRIVE as a program especially for intellectually challenged young adults, who make up an integral part of the UCM community, just like “athletics or the band [does].”  Elli’s doing the whole college experience, dorm and all. All of the THRIVE students stay in the same hall of the dorm.  She will live with a second year student and share a bath with 2 other girls. We are so proud of Elli embarking on her college experience! Remember those days?

Sharon continues:

"My feelings the past week have been those of overwhelming gratitude!  I am so grateful for the many dedicated teachers, mentors, friends, family and community members that have helped Elli to be in this wonderful place. I'm grateful to the EXCEL parent group for spearheading this post-high school experience.  I'm grateful to the University of Central Missouri for embracing the challenge and those that work with THRIVE to implement the program.  I'm grateful that Elli was willing to trust me that she would be ready for college, and supported when she got there.  I'm so filled with gratitude that there isn't space to be sad.  Technology helps too!" 

The mother and daughter duo still keep in touch regularly too, so there is no time to miss each other too much. "[We] facetime and text!," Sharon shared 

Check back in with Elli and others that are part of the First Downs community right here on the blog.

Best of luck Elli!