For Achieve Program Manager Dr. Erica He, joining the program at Highline was a perfect fit.

Achieve is a program “for students with intellectual disabilities. We believe our students should be included in every aspect of the traditional college classroom and campus activities,” Dr. He said. “We support students in navigating the higher education system, and demystify the resources and processes to help them succeed. We also support students in developing their leadership skills through involvement in student clubs and internships.”

“For those people who are not as familiar with transition programs, a good analogy is the running start program that allows students to take college-level courses in high school, so students can become more familiar with college,” she said. “We are doing that same thing except we are focused on students with disabilities.”

Dr. He has worked at Highline for seven months, and previously helped run a program on the east coast. 

“Before coming to Highline College, I was a doctoral student at Rutgers University in New Jersey. I also ran an after-school program in New York City,” she said. “My doctorate is in educational theory, organization, and policy. I focused on informal educational programs, especially related to service-learning and immigrant youth.”

And Highline seemed like the right place to be next, Dr. He said. 

“I decided to work at Highline College because I enjoy working with students from diverse backgrounds,” she said. “Since I am trained as an educator that prioritizes equity and empowering all students to reach their full potential, Highline College seemed like a great fit given their mission.”

One big learning experience was about how different each students’ needs are.
“I learned more about how to scaffold and meet the needs of diverse students. Every student wants to learn, and each student’s pathway to learning can look different,” Dr. He said. “It is like a puzzle we as educators and students affairs staff have to solve.”

Going forward, Dr. He would like to build upon the foundation that’s been set at Achieve, she said. 

“My goals for the Achieve program are to strengthen the work that my predecessor has already been doing and to help integrate the Achieve program into Highline College even more,” Dr. He said. “I hope the needs and achievements of students with disabilities will become a regular part of the campus conversations.”