Southeastern University Launches Pathways School of Excellence

This fall Southeastern University (AG) in Lakeland, Florida, will open Pathways School of Excellence. The program at Pathways will be specifically tailored for students in middle and high school, and post-secondary transition with disabilities. The school will be housed in the Education building at Southeastern.

The curriculum will be designed for students with intellectual disabilities and other mild learning and physical disabilities. The mission of Pathways is to equip learners for growth and success in academic, personal, and spiritual life.

“Pathways is an extension of what Southeastern is already doing through empowering students to live out their calling,” said Southeastern President Kent Ingle. “At Southeastern we are dedicated to equipping our students to live out their divine design through a Christ-centered, student-focused institution. We look forward to partnering alongside the Pathways students and parents to provide a quality education for these students.”

According to Executive Vice President Brian Carroll, “The Pathways school ties in with Southeastern’s core values to serve the needs of our community.”

The academic calendar of Pathways will be the same as Southeastern’s fall and spring semesters. Students will have the opportunity to eat lunch in the campus restaurant. Most of the students will be from the area.

Terri Paton, an assistant professor of education at Southeastern, has been selected as the Pathways director. The school administration will also consist of an administrative assistant, a middle school teacher, high school teacher, and postsecondary transition teacher.

“In our opening year, we hope to serve our students by helping them to grow academically, personally, and spiritually,” said Dr. Amy Bratten, dean of the college of education. We hope to serve approximately 30 students in a loving, Christ-centered environment in which the students thrive. We hope to show that a collaborative university setting is conducive to student growth, both for Pathways students and Southeastern University students.”

Various colleges and departments on campus will also support and partner with this program. The college of arts and media will help design and implement art and music therapy for the students. The college of Christian ministries and religion will partner with the school for individualized, small group, and whole group chapel experiences. The college of behavioral and social sciences will help develop and implement trainings and seminars developed for specific needs of parents, siblings, and caregivers of students with disabilities. The college of natural and health sciences will provide parent and Pathways faculty training. The department of Human Performance and Sport Studies will provide Pathways with a PE coach as well as plans for adaptive PE.

“Southeastern students will have many opportunities for experiential learning as the colleges' collaboration with Pathways School of Excellence fosters relationships and provides real-world scenarios in which SEU students can apply and reflect upon their learning,” Bratten said. “Many of our students are going into careers that require working with people, and Pathways will allow our students the opportunity to learn what it’s like to work with individuals with disabilities.”

For additional information or an application, contact Dr. Bratten at [email protected].

Priscilla Burr