Walking through the residence halls and classrooms at the University of Mount Saint Vincent in the Bronx, it is easy to miss the boundary between the traditional college experience and the university's residential program for students with disabilities. That is entirely by design. At this university, the path to independence for these students does not begin after graduation. It is built into the daily fabric of campus life.
The University of Mount Saint Vincent's Bridge program is a two-year non-degree program that helps students with disabilities experience college life on their road to independence.
Students in the university’s two-year non-degree Bridge program are fully immersed — attending classes, participating in internships, and joining student organizations alongside their peers. They are learning how to live and lead within a shared community. That level of integration reflects a broader shift in how colleges are beginning to define access not as accommodation, but as full participation.
“The primary goal of the Bridge program is to bridge the journey from childhood to young adulthood and independence,” said Erika Greenblatt, director of UMSV’s Bridge program.
In the halls of UMSV, that bridge is being built every day, one budget, one roommate agreement, and one internship at a time. For institutions willing to rethink access—not as accommodation, but as integration—it may signal a new blueprint for higher education itself.
Inclusive Postsecondary Education (IPSE) programs, specifically designed for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, have more than doubled nationwide since 2009. Today, more than 300 programs exist across the country to respond to a stark reality: only about 17% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities are currently employed. Programs like Bridge are working to change that trajectory.
As a two-year, non-degree certificate program, Bridge serves students ages 18 to 24 which might include intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. The curriculum blends academic exposure with practical life skills. Students take courses in financial planning, employment readiness, and communication while also auditing or enrolling in university-level classes. Beyond the classroom, they participate in internships and live on campus. These experiences mirror a traditional college journey — one that has historically been inaccessible to this population.
Greenblat said that access is foundational to the mission. "Our mission is to give young adults a chance to experience a college community setting," Greenblatt said. She notes that many in the program have Down syndrome or autism and have often lived lives that were not integrated into the bigger world. "The Bridge program not only supports our students, it educates the rest of the world on living in communities with people of different abilities."
