By Mike Greife,
November 18, 2015
WARRENSBURG, MO – The University of Central Missouri’s THRIVE program recently hosted
a group from Russia who visited the campus to learn more about the UCM program that
provides a two-year, residential college experience for intellectually challenged
young adults.
The group, representatives of the Down syndrome organizations Downside Up in Moscow
and Sun Children in Yekaterinburg, is visiting Kansas City as part of an exchange
program between the Down Syndrome Guild of Kansas City. Amy Allison, executive director
of DSG of Kansas City, accompanied the group to UCM.
Speaking through a Russian-English interpreter, Karen Fahrmeier, coordinator of the
THRIVE program, provided an overview of the program, along with Jessica Rhodes, THRIVE
case manager; Mike Brunkhorst, THRIVE instructor; Joyce Downing, assistant dean of
the UCM College of Education; and three currently enrolled THRIVE students.
Fahrmeier detailed the founding of the program during fall semester 2010 and its growth
in the ensuing years. She also explained how the curriculum is developed to accommodate
individual differences while also providing an opportunity for each student to develop
independent living skills while living and studying in the mainstream university community.
The group then visited the residence hall where THRIVE student reside on campus, visiting
with students and their mentors. After touring the UCM Student Recreation and Wellness
Center, the group visited a classroom of THRIVE students.
“We were pleased that they were interested in our program,” Fahrmeier said. “We felt
like it was a terrific opportunity to share our program on the international level,
and we were happy to do so.” She added that the group asked a variety of specific
questions about many aspects of the program, taking notes and expressing their interest
is the residential and independent living aspects of the program.
Allison noted the diversity of the group, which was made up of not only an educator,
but also a not-for-profit fundraiser, occupational therapist, speech therapist, adaptive
physical education teacher, psychologist and Special Olympics regional coordinator.
She explained the visit to Kansas City and UCM came about as a result of collaboration
between the DSG of Kansas City and a similar group in Russia interested in studying
opportunities for children and adults with Down syndrome. Funded by a grant from the
U.S. State Department, Allison has traveled to Russia and participated in teleconferences
over a period of two years to share information and explore the subject. In turn,
the group from Russia currently is visiting Kansas City for two weeks, studying best
practices and visiting early childhood education providers, Down syndrome clinics,
public schools and adult services providers.
“They were impressed with the THRIVE program,” Allison said, noting that students
from several of the families served by DSG of Kansas City have participated in THRIVE.
“They weren’t aware of any similar programs in Russia, where students with Down syndrome
attending college are not mainstreamed into the general college population.”
