CSD Summer Transition Program

Planning for the transition from high school to college is an exciting and somewhat confusing time. To help families and students, the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) offers the Summer Transition Program, a rigorous four-week transition program for incoming freshmen with disabilities. The intent of this program is to help students make a positive transition from high school to university life while introducing and familiarizing them to a typical college course load. Students are enrolled in two, 3-credit courses and are encouraged to devote a significant amount of time to complete all tasks assigned by class instructors. Students have opportunities to access support and assistance from CSD staff and graduate students to assist them with the learning process. A variety of opportunities are available for students to develop relationships with campus and community resources. Transition Mentors help students during the move-in process and through other activities aimed at promoting their academic and social adjustment to college life.

For information on program costs, please contact CSD at 262-472-4711 or csdat@uww.edu.

Summer Transition Program Includes:

• DEVLPED 50: Academic Study Skills (3 credits): This course emphasizes such things as note-taking skills, test taking strategies, verbal and written language skills, and the process of writing a university level research paper. Additionally, the students analyze their academic learning profile to develop targeted strategies for academic success. Students write a comprehensive paper on their strengths and weaknesses, learning style and effective strategies for studying. 

• SPECED 201: Disability, Race, & Ethnicity in Society (3 credits): This course focuses on the discrepancies in power, privilege, and access experienced by persons with disabilities. This class addresses factors that impact individuals with disabilities, such as gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, and ability, with an emphasis on the intersections between race/ethnicity and disability. Students will enhance their intercultural knowledge and skills, and in particular learn to articulate and respect the perspectives that arise from these differing experiences while critically examining their own values, perspectives, and biases related to disability and race.

• Support from professional staff: Students have opportunities to get support and assistance from professional staff and graduate students to assist them with the learning process.

• Connect with campus and community resources: Students utilize various resources while living on campus.  They have the opportunity to become involved in co-curricular activities and become familiar with other campus and community departments and services.

• Access to Project ASSIST tutoring: Drop-in tutoring is available in the evenings (Mondays through Thursdays) for assistance with coursework. 

Student Testimonials

The Summer Transition Program has made the biggest impact on me at UW-Whitewater. During the program, I've learned study skills, time management skills, and met lifelong friends. Coming into freshman year with a 4.0 GPA (from STP) was beneficial. The mentors do an outstanding job helping all the students. Being on campus for the STP allows you to become comfortable with campus before September. Today, I truly believe that the STP has developed me to the successful individual (I am) today. ~Tommy, 2018

The STP did a great job preparing me for my first year of college. I’m legally blind and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to navigate new environments and figure out the systems I’ll need to use in daily life. In the program I learned how to work within various class structures as well as the Canvas platform. One of the most important parts of this experience was getting to know people, and I made friends that I still have today. I would highly recommend the Summer Transition Program. ~Alexander, 2021

The Summer Transition Program is beyond beneficial in many ways, it gave me the feel for what college is like before it actually starts, along with helping me improve my time management, student skills, and experiencing living on my own. The program also provides tours and allows you to explore the campus and find out where everything is so it isn’t too overwhelming to find everything when school starts. You will also meet a lot of new people, I also met a lot of friends who I am still friends with today. I benefitted a lot from this program and ultimately allowed me a smooth transition into college. I highly recommend it to incoming freshman. It is a very beneficial and excellent program. ~Will, 2018

Welcoming, luxurious, simple, educational and entertaining; what more could you ask for? This program is for a lack of a better term, Perfect! ~Aramis, 2023

I enjoyed meeting new people and was able to make new friends. I think STP helped me with being away from home and I was able to do stuff by myself. ~Izzy, 2023