Originally from the tiny town of Halfway, Oregon (population 300), Boise State biology student Nathan McCoy has big goals-he will be applying to medical school next year. Along with his undergraduate studies, Nathan has been helping prepare young adults with disabilities for college success through the Aiding Student Success by Improving Secondary Transition (ASSIST) lab, a vertically integrated project that immerses students in cutting edge research to support and prepare students with disabilities to succeed in post-secondary education.
Students in the the ASSIST lab are mentored by Jeremy Ford, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Early and Special Education. The ASSIST lab is a Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) located in Boise State’s College of Innovation and Design. VIPs are open to students from multiple disciplines and are designed to create student access to hands-on learning, faculty mentorship and collaboration with diverse teams. Students participating in VIPs earn credit and participate in research and service while completing their undergraduate or graduate degree program.