Project Description:
The Red River Higher Education Alliance (RRHEA) supports higher education for students with intellectual disabilities by engaging with existing programs, programs in development, and supporters and partners of every kind to further the choice for students with intellectual disability to pursue their goal of higher education. Think College and higher education leadership from Oklahoma and Texas have joined together to form the Red River Higher Education Alliance to expand quality comprehensive higher education options to benefit students with intellectual disability, which in turn, will benefit our campuses, communities, and states.
Our process is to bring together like-minded individuals to share resources, encourage high-quality program growth and development, bring higher education into daily conversation regarding students with intellectual disability, and engage with those who have a touch point with students with intellectual disability. Individuals from support agencies, providers, educators, family members, legislators, and advocates all need to be engaged with this initiative and we believe that collaboration is the best way to achieve goals, one step at a time.
Members of the alliance meet to collaborate and plan the Red River Higher Education Alliance's website, newsletter, and summit, and to maintain current contact information for participating programs. Member programs include Aggie ACHIEVE, Northeastern State University's RiverHawks Scholar Program, the University of Oklahoma's Sooner Works, Oklahoma State University's Opportunity Orange Scholars, Texas State University's Bobcat RISE, Texas A&M San Antonio's TU CASA, and the University of North Texas' UNT ELEVAR program.
Resources available through the RRHEA website include information on comprehensive transition programs, frequently asked questions, blog posts by students and families, information on all member programs and other postsecondary programs, information on Think College, and resources for paying for college.
