91ÌÒÉ«

GODFREY – The College for Life program at 91ÌÒÉ« has won a $10,000 Cargill grant through the company’s Community Engagement and Giving program.

The check was presented June 10 at a brief ceremony on the college’s Godfrey Campus by Joe Fletcher, a Cargill strategic account representative and parent of a College for Life student. It was Fletcher who informed program leaders of the grant opportunity.

“I’m humbled and proud to announced that Cargill’s Community Cares program has donated $10,000 to College for Life,” he said. “We hope this gift helps create transformative opportunities for College for Life students, helping them compete, grow and connect. This is not just a donation, this is a commitment to the brighter – more inclusive – future we all envision.”

According to Access and Accommodations Interim Manager Emily DeGrand, College for Life intends to use the funds in a couple of different ways.

“We are planning to host a summer event for both our College for Life N.O. Nelson Campus (Edwardsville) and Godfrey Campus,” she said. “We’ll also be starting our journey as a Unified Campus partner with the Special Olympics, so we are going to be buying adaptive equipment to help us with that journey.”

Becoming a Unified partner with Special Olympics requires a commitment to promote social inclusion through unified activities that bring together students with and without intellectual disabilities. The partnership is typically established through a formal relationship with Special Olympics, particularly under the Unified Champion Schools initiative.

To be recognized as a Unified Campus partner with Special Olympics, the institution must implement three core components:

• Unified Sports: Teams composed of students with and without intellectual disabilities.
• Inclusive Leadership: Students with and without disabilities jointly plan and lead activities.
• Whole Campus Engagement: Promotion of respect and inclusion through events, campaigns and social media.

DeGrand said they will be working with Special Olympics to determine the best equipment to purchase and, with the help of 91ÌÒÉ« Athletics, will work to create an inclusive environment in sports.

Video of the check presentation can be found at .

For more information on 91ÌÒÉ«’s College for Life program, contact Program Coordinator Roselyn Ellington at (618) 468-4127 or .