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When Emily Cott first enrolled into Villa Maria College’s Achieve Program for Students with Learning differences, she didn’t understand what her strengths were. She didn’t know what she wanted to major in, and she didn’t have a vision for her future career.  In Emily’s own words, she struggled with communication – especially with her professors, not studying as much as she needed to for exams and interviewing for internships.  Now entering her senior year, Emily has worked hard to develop the skills she needs to…

Visit Villa Maria College on Saturday, November 13th to learn more about the Achieve Program for Students with Learning Disabilities. This is an in-person event. Students will participate in hands-on demonstrations of time management, assistive technology, and college readiness skills. Parents will learn about college expectations and the difference between high school and college accommodations for students with disabilities. Founded in 2015, the Achieve Program was designed to help high school students with learning differences successfully transition from high school to college, thrive in college…

Villa Maria College will host an open house event on Saturday, November 6, with the promise of a personalized experience for each visitor. Attendees will tour the campus through the lens of their specific area of interest so they can discover what an education at Villa Maria might look like for them. Student ambassadors and members of both faculty and the administration will be ready and waiting to provide a customized experience to prospective students and their parents. The event is a reflection of the…

Organization for Autism Research OAR’s scholarship program provides $3,000 scholarships to students across the autism spectrum. This opportunity is open to all persons with an autism diagnosis (DSM-IV or later criteria) pursuing full-time, post-secondary, undergraduate education or vocational-technical training in any of the following: four-year undergraduate college or university, two-year undergraduate college, trade, technical or vocational school, cooperative life skills programs. Learn more and apply here: Scholarships for students with Autism The Perecman Firm, P.L.L.C.’s Oquendo Memorial Scholarship The Avonte Oquendo Memorial Scholarship is open…

1) Look for help when you need it. This may be in the form of a tutor, a study group, or an instructor. 2) Schedule and plan how you will use your time. Try using a daily planner or smartphone. 3) Plan ahead, especially for tests and big projects. 4) Learn about how you learn. Are you a visual, auditory or hands-on leaner? What are your strengths and weaknesses as a student? 5) Be an active learner. 6) Create an effective study routine. Do you…

Between entering a new environment, a schedule change, and an intense workload, the transition from high school to college can be difficult for the best of students. In addition to struggling with the transition itself, students with learning differences are also challenged with communication, time management, executive function and even advocating for themselves. According to Melissa Zgliczynski, the Director of the Achieve Program for Students with Learning Differences at Villa Maria College, these obstacles can make it impossible for students with learning differences to succeed…

Villa Maria College recently received a grant from the Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation in support of the college’s Achieve Program for students with learning differences. The grant totals $136,252 and will help support the program during the first three years of operation. Villa Maria is part of the 2 percent of colleges and universities nationwide that offer this type of program. The Achieve Program provides specialized services to students with learning differences to support each individual in the transition to college. Students will…