Page 6 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens- July '24

Page 6, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
Florida Atlantic University Academy For Community Inclusion

Celebrates Program’s Milestone 50th And 51st Graduates

Program provides students who have intellectual and
developmental disabilities with an enriching and authentic
college experience.
Two very special students who have autism walked across
the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) graduation stage during
spring commencement, marking a milestone for the Florida
Atlantic University Academy for Community Inclusion
(ACI), a college program for high school graduates who
have been diagnosed with intellectual and developmental
disabilities, including Down syndrome and autism.
Whitney Wiley and Michael R. Johnson, both Wellington
residents, received certificates from the FAU Academy
for Community Inclusion as the program’s 50th and 51st
graduates. They were celebrated during a brunch on FAU’s
MacArthur Campus in Jupiter during graduation weekend. Dawn Furlan and Rangasamy Ramasamy, Ph.D., professor,
Friends, family, ACI students and alumni, FAU staff and Department of Special Education at FAU
community partners attended. Two ACI students, Chloe FAU ACI Class of 2024 graduate Whitney Wiley; Kelly
Thibault and Holden Kasky, emceed the event. Holden’s Kearney, Ed.D., BCBA-D, associate director of FAU’s
father, Jeff Kasky, gave a poignant speech highlighting the Academy for Community Inclusion in the Department of
positive impact ACI has on students and their families. Special Education; FAU ACI students Chloe Thibault and
“The ACI program is an important part of the community. Holden Kasky
Knowing that there are 51 graduates who have an intellectual
or developmental disability who are working right next to entrepreneur. “I learned about money, employment and how
any other employee is something that makes Palm Beach, to do paperwork,” he added.
Broward and Martin Counties special and that should be ACI allows students to earn certificates in supported
celebrated,” said Kelly Kearney, Ed.D., BCBA-D, associate employment, supported community access and supported
director of FAU’s Academy for Community Inclusion in the community living. These certificates are offered in an inclusive
Department of Special Education. “Having our graduates college environment on both the Boca Raton and Jupiter
find a rewarding job and becoming self-reliant is our ultimate campuses of FAU. The program allows students to participate
goal and we are so proud of Whitney and Michael who are in college activities, clubs, events and organizations that are
pursuing their dreams.” available to all FAU students. ACI also offers a residential
This polo season, Wiley worked at the National Polo experience program each summer, when students get to spend
Center in Wellington handing out event programs and one week living in the dorms on the Boca Raton campus.
enjoyed watching the end of the matches. The 25-year-old The mission of ACI is to increase overall independence in
hopes to find a new job that involves horses and even rides employment, self-determination and community experiences FAU ACI student Lily Doyle and her mother Katherine Trusky
them weekly at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in for individuals with intellectual and developmental
Loxahatchee. disabilities. Through a generous partnership with longtime
“I was so excited because I made it!” she said of benefactors the Taft Foundation, ACI was developed and
graduating. “It was a really big accomplishment for me. I launched in 2017. The partnership was due to the vision and
was so happy to wear a cap and gown. I learned how to get strong advocacy of founding ACI Principal Investigator Dr.
around the community, be safe and stay safe, health and Mike Brady, who was a dedicated faculty member and chair
fitness, and social skills.” for the Department of Special Education in the College of
Johnson, who owns a food truck with his dad, said that the Education, until his passing in 2021. Rangasamy Ramasamy,
ACI program helped him become a better business owner and Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Special Education
at FAU, presented Dr. Brady’s partner, Dawn Furlan, with
the Crystal Owl Award for his dedication to those who
experience disabilities and his generosity in supporting this
legacy project through his estate plans.
To learn more about the FAU Academy for Community
Inclusion, visit fau.edu/education/academicdepartments/ese/ Dr. Angelica Downey, Department of Special Education at
aci/ and you can click GIVE to make a donation. FAU; FAU ACI Class of 2024 graduate Whitney Wiley and Dr.
Photos by Coastal Click Photography Gwendolyn Carey, Department of Special Education at FAU
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