Taylor Carley and Dan Lewis will reach personal milestones this spring as they complete the RISE To the Top! program at The University of Southern Mississippi.
It’s not only a watershed moment for Carley and Lewis, but also for RISE! (Reaching, Including, Supporting and Educating), a postsecondary program for people with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, as they become its first graduates to participate in the university’s spring commencement exercises this week.
Providing an inclusive college learning experience is a priority for RISE!, and their participation in commencement represents the ultimate realization of that goal.
RISE! offers a four-year, eight-semester nondegree certificate—one of only two such programs in the state—with programming that includes academics, community engagement, employment readiness and student life opportunities. The program is a collaboration between the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS) and the Southern Miss School of Interdisciplinary Studies and Professional Development.
“We are thrilled to have our RISE completers join us for commencement this year,” said Dr. Lance Nail, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “Graduation is a time of celebrating student success, and this year we are excited to recognize the success of our RISE students.”
Danielle Mullins, executive coordinator for RISE!, said that after eight years of piloting and the program’s official launch in 2023, celebrating its first graduates is indeed a meaningful moment of reflection.
“Taylor and Dan represent not only this achievement, but the determination and commitment that define the program, and we are very proud of them,” added Mullins.
Mullins said the program will also recognize the late Nathan Hatten with a posthumous RISE! certificate at commencement.
A native of Hattiesburg, Miss., Carley said RISE has helped him “reach the top” by giving him a meaningful college experience and valuable skills that can positively shape his future. He serves as the self-advocacy coordinator for IDS and has years of experience in national service, leadership, mentoring, self-advocacy and transition-to-adulthood services.
Carley was the first self-advocate Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Related Disabilities (LEND) trainee in Mississippi. He provides advocacy training and technical assistance, and hosts his own YouTube series, “Chit Chat Thursday with Taylor,” which focuses on advocacy and disability efforts in Mississippi. He has received national recognition for his work, including being named an Association for University Centers on Disability Emerging Leader, appearing as a guest on the national video series Tuesdays with Liz, and winning the 2019 Americans with Disabilities Video Contest with two self-advocate peers.
Additionally, Carley was selected as a U.S. representative for the 2022 Tomodachi Story Jam for Youth with Disabilities, a digital storytelling and youth leadership program that brings together Japanese and American college students and young professionals with disabilities. He currently assists with the Hattiesburg STEP UP to Leadership Advisory Council, a program consisting of adults with and without disabilities who provide community service, practice independent living skills, and participate in monthly social and recreational activities. Carley was appointed by Gov. Tate Reeves to serve on the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities.
Carley enjoys sharing his story and his motto: “A disability is an ability; I am just like everyone else.”
“Earning this certificate shows that anyone with the desire and passion can achieve their goals, regardless of disability,” Carley said. “You can truly soar with RISE.”
Lewis, who hails from nearby Petal, Miss., said he gained “meaningful participation in courses and opportunities in education and recreation” through RISE. He serves as the technology and advocacy assistant for IDS and as a STEP UP to Leadership Council member, an inclusive organization that provides individuals with and without disabilities the opportunity to develop skills through service and recreational activities in the community.
Lewis is also a member of the STEP OUT program, designed for adults 25 years and older, to create an inclusive interpersonal network that contributes to the social development, maturation and overall well-being of its members. He has also served as a Training, Resources and Information for the Advancement of Disability (TRIAD) Service AmeriCorps member, and as co-president and co-vice president of the STEP UP to Leadership Council. Lewis enjoys closed captioning and sharing with others the importance of making videos accessible.
“I feel respected and honored to be part of the spring commencement,” Lewis said.
IDS Executive Director Dr. Jerry Alliston said the participation of RISE! graduates in commencement represents both individual achievement and the university’s commitment to providing program participants with academic knowledge, critical thinking skills and essential life skills.
“The RISE program certainly complements the university’s mission to produce graduates who are ready for life, ready to succeed professionally and as responsible citizens,” Alliston said.