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. Friends, family, ACI students and alumni, FAU staff and community partners attended. Two ACI students, Chloe Thibault and Holden Kasky, emceed the event. Holden’s father, Jeff Kasky, gave a poignant speech highlighting the positive impact ACI has on students and their families.
“The ACI program is an important part of the community. Knowing that there are 51 graduates who have an intellectual or developmental disability who are working right next to any other employee is something that makes Palm Beach, Broward and Martin Counties special and that should be celebrated,” said Kelly Kearney, Ed.D., BCBA-D, Associate Director of FAU’s Academy for Community Inclusion in the Department of Special Education. “Having our graduates find a rewarding job and becoming self-reliant is our ultimate goal and we are so proud of Whitney and Michael who are pursuing their dreams.”
This polo season, Wiley worked at the National Polo Center in Wellington handing out event programs and enjoyed watching the end of the matches. The 25-year-old hopes to find a new job that involves horses and even rides them weekly at Vinceremos Therapeutic Riding Center in Loxahatchee.
“I was so excited because I made it!” she said of graduating. “It was a really big accomplishment for me. I was so happy to wear a cap and gown. I learned how to get around the community, be safe and stay safe, health and fitness, and social skills.”
Johnson, who owns a food truck with his dad, said that the ACI program helped him become a better business owner and entrepreneur. “I learned about money, employment and how to do paperwork,” he added.
ACI allows students to earn certificates in supported employment, supported community access and supported community living. These certificates are offered in an inclusive college environment on both the Boca Raton and Jupiter campuses of FAU. The program allows students to participate in college activities, clubs, events and organizations that are available to all FAU students. ACI also offers a residential experience program each summer, when students get to spend one week living in the dorms on the Boca Raton campus.
The mission of ACI is to increase overall independence in employment, self-determination and community experiences for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through a generous partnership with longtime benefactors the Taft Foundation, ACI was developed and launched in 2017. The partnership was due to the vision and strong advocacy of founding ACI Principal Investigator, Dr. Mike Brady, who was a dedicated faculty member and chair for the Department of Special Education in the College of Education, until his passing in 2021. Rangasamy Ramasamy, 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/
About Florida Atlantic University
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, FAU serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, FAU embodies an innovative model where traditional equity gaps vanish. FAU is designated a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report and a High Research Activity institution by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
