While SUCCEED Program students cheer in the background, Kathy Meath, president and chief executive officer of St. Louis Arc, and UMSL Chancellor Tom George cut through a ribbon to celebrate the launch of the post-secondary program for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Holding the ribbon are Deborah Baldini, associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and School of Professional and Continuing Studies at UMSL, and Ann Wilkins, director of the SUCCEED Program.

SUCCEED is a two-year residential, non-credit program in which participants receive opportunities for employment and interact regularly with matriculated UMSL students.

“Some of the students at SUCCEED will end the two years with the ability to live independently and work in St. Louis,” Baldini said. “Others will move onto a degree-completion program.”

The first cohort of 16 SUCCEED students began in August. They reside in Oak Hall.

St. Louis Arc, a nonprofit United Way agency, provides ongoing support to campus staff and faculty to ensure the highest quality services for SUCCEED students.

The photograph was taken by UMSL photographer August Jennewein and is the latest to be featured in Eye on UMSL.

Click here or below to view a SUCCEED video by Myra Lopez.