Program History
Achieve’s mission is to provide specialized services to students with learning differences. We address students’ needs individually and develop a plan to help them transition into college. The Achieve Program helps students develop necessary skills for college and builds their confidence and independence along the way, with a focus on preparing students for life after College.
In 2015, the College’s director of disability services noticed that some students with learning differences, who were capable of succeeding, were struggling to adjust to college life. These students faced challenges because their support level dropped dramatically compared to what they received in high school. From this notion, Villa Maria College developed its Achieve Program for Students with Learning Differences.
48
2024 AchieveStudents
86
Students withGPA 2.0+
74
Students withGPA 3.0+
17
New Studentsin 2024
31
Returning Studentsin 2024
The Achieve Difference
All colleges and universities are legally required to provide accommodations to students with disabilities. Villa Maria College’s Achieve Program goes above and beyond what’s required by law to help students with learning differences succeed. The program combines targeted academic and executive functioning support, technological resources, exclusive facilities, experienced staff, and a slew of additional on-campus resources to ensure students with learning differences are prepared to succeed.
Click here for more information on the Achieve difference.
Achieve’s leadership team is comprised of College employees who understand the challenges students with learning differences face, as well as the support they may need. Their knowledge of College curriculum combined with their experience in working with people with learning differences allow them to to be successful in preparing Achieve students to thrive, both at Villa and in life after graduation.
- Dr. Ann Rivera, Provost
- Laura Pietak, Director of the Achieve Program
- Jill Manka, Career Readiness Specialist
- Tracy Przywara, Achieve Program Coordinator
- Gayle Petri, Achieve Learning Coach
Students interested in enrolling in the Achieve Program at Villa Maria College must be admitted to both the College and the Program.
- Alyssa LaMartina, ’23, 961-1803, [email protected]
- Becky Strathearn, 716-961-1870, [email protected]
- Samantha Owens, ’09, 716-961-1822, [email protected]
- Jillian Torella, 716-961-1804, [email protected]
- Myron Washil, 716-961-1850, [email protected]
For more information on College admissions, visit https://www.villa.edu/admissions.
After submitting an application to the College, students must also submit an application for admission to the Achieve Program, which can be found here. Upon acceptance to the College, students should schedule an interview with Laura Pietak, the director for the Achieve Program. Students will receive an acceptance decision after their meeting with Ms. Pietak.
Achieve’s advisory council is comprised of experts in the field of learning differences and transitioning students with learning differences from high school to college. The council meets twice annually to support the recruitment, community building, and fundraising goals of the Achieve Program at Villa Maria College.
- Melisse Machnica: Transition Coordinator, Clarence & Lancaster School Districts
- Dr. Brittany Merrill: Research Assistant Professor, Florida International University
- Clara Moran: Executive Director, The BISON Children’s Scholarship Fund
- Kristen Schober: Director of Communications, Villa Maria College
- Azure Showers: CEO, Accessible Academics
- Evan Vahratian: Coordinator, Clarence Family Support Center
The Achieve Team
”There is no other program like this in Buffalo that would provide this kind of robust, carefully planned support for college students with learning disabilities. One of the real strengths of Achieve is the possibility for parental involvement. I think one of the reasons that Achieve is so unique here in Buffalo and elsewhere, is that we open the doors to let the parents get involved as part of the learning team. And I think that while we’re trying to develop independence in our students, we also really benefit from the long-term perspective that parents can bring.
Dr. Will MeyerFaculty Member