UT Martin is one of five recipients of a Tennessee Believes grant, as announced April 9 by the Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging. That grant funding will go toward starting a new program for students with intellectual disabilities.
UT Martin will receive $126,252 this year and a total of $387,751 over three years.
The university will use the grant to create the Skyhawks Achieving In Life (SAIL) program to provide students with intellectual disabilities access to the college experience.
The SAIL program will be directed by Dr. Clinton Smith, chair of the UTM Department of Educational Studies, and Dr. Will Gibson, the manager of UTM’s disability and testing services, until a full-time director begins this August.
Smith said the program would affect participating students in four ways:
• Provide access to higher education, where those pathways were previously inaccessible. The SAIL program will combine academic, vocational and social learning.
• Bolster improved life outcomes. Research has shown that students in similar postsecondary programs have higher rates of employment, independent living and self-determination.
• Develop social integration and a sense of belonging through participation in campus life, such as clubs, classes and events, building their social-emotional growth, confidence and support networks.
• Aid in the transition to independence by emphasizing daily living skills, self-advocacy and decision-making.
“Inclusive higher education programs foster an environment that goes beyond mere representation of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) on college and university campuses,” Smith said. “These programs help to remove barriers and provide students with IDD an opportunity to achieve their desired outcomes in a manner similar to students without disabilities.”
The SAIL program is scheduled to begin Aug. 1, 2026, with applications opening this November for the 2026-27 school year.
Alisha Melton, executive director of the Office of Research, Outreach and Economic Development, said participating students would qualify for internships and Work-Study opportunities.
“What’s exciting about this program is that it will bring in individuals who might never otherwise have the opportunity to experience life on a college campus,” she said. “They will be able to work with other college students; they’re going to be involved in student organizations and clubs. They will be able to interact in a way they’ve never done before.”
UT Martin will enhance its mission and visibility through the SAIL program. The program will also contribute to diversifying the university’s student body.
The university may also attract partnerships with school districts, vocational rehabilitation services, nonprofit organizations and employers through the SAIL program. UTM faculty may receive training in inclusive teaching and universal design for learning, improving educational practice campus-wide.
The SAIL program can also improve the strong ties the university has with the community by helping prepare students with intellectual disabilities to live and work in their hometowns, which supports rural workforce sustainability.
The Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging officially launched the Tennessee Believes program in 2021, intending to increase opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at colleges and universities across the state.
Since its inception, the Tennessee Believes grant has provided nine Tennessee colleges and universities with over $2 million in funding. Based on 2024 reports, 164 students benefitted from Tennessee Believes-supported programs.
