J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development

Inclusive summer leadership program introduces youth to the college experience

August 27, 2018

Destination Dawgs Summer Leadership Program 2018

Program participants and volunteers join in team-building exercises. (more info: Destination Dawgs is the University of Georgia’s inclusive post-secondary program. This non-degree certificate program for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities aims to help with the transition to adulthood by offering participants an opportunity to prepare for a career and independent living over the course of five spring/fall semesters. Students will audit UGA courses, gain valuable job skills, and build a social network based on individual plans supported by peer mentors. Destination Dawgs summer leadership program, implemented by the Fanning Institute, helps prospective Destination Dawgs learn what it’s like to be a college student. They live in dorms and experienced three days of typical campus activities, including eating in the dining halls and riding on UGA buses.

This summer, youth from six different Georgia counties participated in a University of Georgia summer leadership program that helps prepare students with intellectual or developmental disabilities for their futures while also giving them a college experience.

“I was nervous to be here at first,” said Austin, one of this year’s participants. “But, I have enjoyed this very much and I am proud that I came here. I’ve learned how to be a leader.”

Coordinated by the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development in partnership with the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, the summer leadership institute is a prerequisite for the Destination Dawgs program, which is housed within the College of Family and Consumer Sciences’ Institute on Human Development and Disability.

The 2018 Destination Dawgs Summer Leadership Institute was made possible thanks to a gift from the NCR Foundation. “NCR Foundation is proud to support inclusive higher education for students with developmental disabilities, this program provides opportunities for the students to grow and reach their fullest potential!” Yvonne Whitaker, NCR Foundation Lead.

Destination Dawgs Summer Leadership Institute 2018

Participants learn team-building and leadership skills through the outdoor challenge course experience.

A plastic fish named Larry helps encourage teamwork!

One challenge involves getting closer and closer on a tarp to simulate the experience of riding the UGA bus around campus when it’s very crowded.

Peer mentors from around campus support participants and work as part of the team.

Participants learn team-building and leadership skills through the outdoor challenge course experience.

Peer mentors bond with participants and encourage and join them in the challenges.

Peer mentors get a lot out of the experience too. “They are so open and they integrate into the campus so quickly and it is very rewarding watching them grow,” said Jeremy Zimmerman, a 2018 UGA graduate with bachelor’s degrees in biology and religion who returned to campus to serve as a mentor for the second time.