New Program to Help Students with Learning Differences “SOAR”

Caldwell, N.J., March 18, 2021—Helping students with learning disabilities flourish in a university setting will be the focus of a new academic support program at Caldwell University. 

SOAR (Student Outreach and Academic Resources) will provide students with language-based learning disabilities and/or attention deficit disorders with the tools they need to succeed in a post-secondary setting.  

Caldwell University’s welcoming and personal atmosphere is naturally advantageous to helping students with learning differences succeed. “We strive to provide our students with the best academic experiences possible, so we are pleased to offer an extra layer of support to help our students with learning differences earn a university education,” said Henrietta Genfi, Caldwell’s associate dean of academic support.   

“The program is designed to encourage students to become self-advocates, gain independence, achieve academic success and develop a career path,” said Elizabeth Skinner, Caldwell’s director of accessibility services.   

The staff and faculty will provide students in SOAR with a bedrock of personalized academic services including tutoring, writing coaching, peer  mentoring with a member of the national honor society Delta Alpha Pi, outreach and other resources. “We are also excited that junior and senior students in SOAR will be given career building and leadership skills training and workshops,” said Skinner. There will be a short pre-semester summer program for incoming freshmen to familiarize them with the university atmosphere and services.  

Students will have the chance to enjoy Caldwell’s beautiful 70-acre campus and engage in the university’s many clubs, athletics, student life, community service, campus ministry, and other activities. Within those programs there will be dedicated support from staff or faculty.  Students who demonstrate achievements can qualify for membership in Delta Alpha Pi.  

To be eligible, students must be incoming students who are accepted to Caldwell under the standard admissions process, have a documented diagnosis of a language based and/or neurological learning disability including attention deficit disorders and current IEP or 504 plan, as well as evaluation testing reports, and take part in an interview with the university program staff.   

For information on the program and fees go to: www.caldwell.edu/soar