Expanding Career, Education, and Leadership Opportunities for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

 

The EXCEL Program offered by the Georgia Institute of Technology is a four-year college program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) leading to two separate Certificates. 

Certificate 1: Academic Enrichment, Social Fluency, and Career Exploration
Certificate 2: Social Growth, Leadership, and Career Development

 

 

 

 

Program Overview

 

An overview of the EXCEL Program at Georgia Tech

 

Visit

 

Interested in visiting the program? Details here!
 

 

Mentorship Program

 

Interested in being a peer-mentor? Applications are open now.

 

EXCEL Student Spotlight

EXCEL's Martha Haythorn was included in Think College's campaign video promoting inclusive postsecondary education programs. Check it out below!

Martha Haythorn

Excel Graduates 2023
L-R - Kwame Owusu, Taylor Heywood, Antonio Contreras, Donald Anderson, Nick Egoroff, Aleksander Hovey

2023 EXCEL Graduates

May 2023

Please join us in congratulating the 2023 graduating class of EXCEL!

Elliot Smith and Alex Goodman
       

Elliot Smith and Alex Goodman

April 2023

Alex Goodman and Elliott Smith, two graduates of Georgia Tech’s EXCEL Program, found more than academic success while completing their education. The two also found love. Click here for the full story!

excel-student-spotlight

 

Javier Cremer and Henry Brown

February 2023

Congratulations to Excel students Javier Cremer and Henry Brown for becoming part of a new generation of disability advocates through Project SETA (Students Enhancing Their Advocacy).

Funded through a grant from the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities, Project SETA is a leadership development program for current inclusive Post-Secondary education (IPSE) students to learn about advocacy and professionalism. The project launched in 2022 with its first cohort of 11 ambassadors with representation from each of the nine Georgia IPSE programs.
 
Link to article: https://magazine.gcdd.org/issues/winter-2023/developing-the-next-generation-of-advocate-leaders-with-project-seta/

 

Excel students at the capitol

 

Advocacy Day at the Georgia State Capitol

January 2023

On Wednesday, January 24, EXCEL students, staff, and faculty joined inclusive programs from across Georgia to attend the 2023 Inclusive Post Secondary Education Day under the Gold Dome. EXCEL students spoke with Rep. Katie Dempsey and Rep. Teri Anulewicz, both of whom are on the House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee. Legislators were asked to increase funding for Inclusive Post Secondary Education (IPSE) programs and to provide the HOPE Scholarship for future generations of IPSE students. Later that day Rep. Houston Gaines introduced legislation (H.B. 185) in support of IPSE students gaining access to HOPE scholarships. The language from H.B. 185 was included in S.B. 246 and adopted in April 2023. 

EXCEL with other IPSE programs and champions of IPSE had the opportunity to take a group photo (see above) with Gov. Brian Kemp.

 

Kwame Owusu

 

Kwame Owusu

November 2022

EXCEL’s Kwame Owusu was invited by the Georgia Council on Developmental Disabilities to educate the Georgia House Appropriations Human Resources Subcommittee on the importance of inclusive postsecondary education programs. Kwame shared how his educational and career-related opportunities at EXCEL at Georgia Tech have helped him grow into an independent, confident, gainfully employed young man. We couldn't be prouder of his growth and leadership!

 

 

Image of Ken Surdin

 

Students EXCEL through inclusive post-secondary education program

October 2022

In an interview with CEISMC Impact magazine, Ken Surdin, EXCEL’s founding director, discusses the uniqueness of this transformative program.

Read the full story here

 

 

 

Check Our Our Podcasts and Vlogs!

 

 

October 23rd, 2022

EXCEL Director, Ken Surdin interviewed by Gina Kavali on her show “Life with the Spectrum”

 

November 16th, 2021

Learn about EXCEL’s student supports in this panel presentation sponsored by the Minnesota Inclusive Higher Education Consortium.

 

March 31st, 2021

EXCEL student Martha Haythorn interviewed EXCEL Director Ken Surdin.

Play Button Georgia Tech EXCEL Program with Terry, Ken, and EXCEL student Aaron Washington.
Play Button Your Legacy of Care - Charlie, Roy, Scott and Rhonda.
Play Button Learn how program design and curriculum development enhances the college experience.
Play Button See how EXCEL uses external support to enhance the post secondary experience at Georgia Tech.