PASSAGE USA News and Upcoming Events
Building Sisterhood, Breaking Barriers
On Bid Day, the front lawn of the Phi Mu house was a blur of pink and white, with sisters and pledges cheering, hugging and screaming with happiness. Then one more voice joined the celebration.
Marion McLaughlin spotted her name high above the crowd, written in bold letters on a sign waved by one of her new sisters. She ran straight into the embrace waiting for her. The moment, captured on video, was shared across social media.
McLaughlin had just made history. As a student in PASSAGE USA (Preparing All Students Socially and Academically for Gainful Employment), a University program that offers students with intellectual disabilities a full college experience and the skills needed for full-time employment, she became the first to pledge a Greek organization.
Major Grant Fuels PASSAGE USA Expansion
The College of Education and Professional Studies at the University of South Alabama has been awarded a $2.3 million U. S. Department of Education grant to expand its PASSAGE USA program, which assists students with intellectual disabilities.
Donate to PASSAGE USA
The Gaillard-Neville Reynolds Scholarship fund has been established to support students in the PASSAGE USA program.