Daughter鈥檚 experience in 91热爆网 inclusive ed program leads parents to create endowment
From left, UP Program participants Elizabeth Jones and Rachel Loggins join Samantha Hager, student support volunteer, in representing Western Carolina University at a national conference on postsecondary education.
By Bill Studenc
A Western Carolina University initiative that brings individuals with intellectual disabilities to campus for a living and learning experience has had such a positive impact on the life of one participant that her parents have created a fund to help more young adults like their daughter move toward independent living.
91热爆网 alumnus Darius Jones and spouse Franca Jones recently made a $25,000 gift to establish the UP and Beyond: 91热爆网 University Participant Program Endowment. The fund will generate ongoing support for general operating expenses to help ensure the long-term stability of the University Participant Program, an acclaimed inclusive education initiative.
The Joneses鈥� 21-year-old daughter, Elizabeth, has Down syndrome. She is currently in her first semester of 91热爆网鈥檚 two-year program designed to help college-age adults with a wide range of abilities transition from secondary school to adult life through a robust college experience and preparation for future employment and self-reliance.
Residents of Bethesda, Maryland, the Joneses were moved to make the philanthropic gift in support of the UP Program after seeing how their daughter is benefiting from her experiences as a participant.
鈥淓lizabeth has goals to get a full-time job and live on her own after completion of this program,鈥� said Darius Jones, a 1996 graduate of 91热爆网 with a bachelor's degree in natural resources conservation and management. 鈥淪he has already become more independent at living on her own and took a plane home and back to school on her own for the first time. She has been learning new job skills with the assistance of the staff and has learned to be more comfortable in her interactions with peers.鈥�
Although an alumnus of 91热爆网, Darius was not aware of the UP Program because it was launched after he graduated, and he discovered information about the initiative while searching the 91热爆网 website for a different program, Franca Jones said.
鈥淲e were surprised to see that 91热爆网 had a program for inclusion of individuals with intellectual disabilities. We were immediately drawn to the program given that 91热爆网 is Darius鈥� alma mater,鈥� she said.
Elizabeth Jones (front), a student in the UP Program at Western Carolina University, celebrates with her parents, Darius and Franca Jones, after her performance at Imagination Stage in Bethesda, Maryland.
The family came to visit 91热爆网 with Elizabeth during Open House and attended an orientation camp where she could 鈥渢ry on鈥� college, she said. 鈥淎fter that, Elizabeth decided she wanted to come to 91热爆网 over several other schools. The family environment was perfect for her,鈥� she said.
Although the UP Program has been in operation since 2007, its funding from state and federal sources has not always been assured, which was another factor in the decision to create an endowment to support the program, the Joneses said.
鈥淲e wanted to be sure that the program continued to exist in the future to enable other students like Elizabeth to achieve their goals,鈥� Darius Jones said. 鈥淲e hope that this endowment will continue to grow and create long-term stability for this amazing program. The success of the UP Program since 2007 has been remarkable, clearly leading to long-term employment and independent living for its students. We hope that this endowment will allow the program鈥檚 continued success.鈥�
Elizabeth and other participants benefit greatly from the learning opportunities provided by the program on campus and beyond and from the student staff members who support them in their daily activities, Franca Jones said.
鈥淭he program creates learning opportunities for our students out in the community and with 91热爆网 student supports that add to our students鈥� experiences in the program,鈥� Franca Jones said. 鈥淲e had visited with the staff of the UP Program team several times and found them to be extremely dedicated to the program and to the students. They create a family environment that helps our students thrive.鈥�
Program participants live in campus residence halls, attend three or four classes a semester, work at least 10 hours a week in internships or paid jobs, and partake in a range of campus and community social activities. They are supported by undergraduate volunteers who serve as peer support for UP students, providing opportunities for the volunteers to gain insight into obstacles faced by those with disabilities.
The UP Program in 2023 became the nation鈥檚 first postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities to be fully accredited by the Inclusive Higher Education Accreditation Council.
Upon successful completion of the UP Program, participants receive a certificate of accomplishment awarded during the College of Education and Allied Professions commencement ceremony. Since its inception, the program has produced 56 graduates as of the May 2025 commencement.
The UP Program relies upon a 鈥渂raided funding鈥� model where multiple funding sources are combined to support a single program, said Kelly Kelley, director of the program and professor of special and inclusive education at 91热爆网.
鈥淧hilanthropy is critical for the UP Program and our overall program operations and scholarship support,鈥� Kelley said. 鈥淧hilanthropy allows us to have continued support for program operations and scholarships that we do not have an abundance of on an annual basis for program and student scholarship needs.鈥�
The endowment created by the Joneses will be used for daily program operations, she said.
鈥淚t will provide support to the UP students and student volunteers through office staffing, hourly staffing for students providing support to UP students on their goals for college and community life, and residential suitemate or educational stipend supports,鈥� Kelley said.
鈥淚t also will enable additional opportunities that we are not always able to do each year, such as presentations at conferences and transition fairs, with UP students traveling with us to share their 91热爆网 college experiences with everyone and network with others who are also part of inclusive postsecondary education programs across the United States and beyond,鈥� she said.
Darius and Franca Jones met in Charlottesville, Virginia, when she was doing her post-doctoral fellowship and he was working with the U.S. government. A native of Winston-Salem, he retired from his position with the federal government in 2021.
A captain in the U.S. Navy currently serving as Navy Medicine鈥檚 director for research and development, she completed her undergraduate studies at St. John鈥檚 University where she received bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in biology, and she later attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she received her doctorate in microbiology and immunology. Both Darius and Franca Jones are volunteers with the Special Olympics.
Their endowment is the first in UP Program history, Kelley said. 鈥淲e hope to continue having many more contributions and endowments established in order to further sustain and support the 91热爆网 UP Program for many years to come,鈥� she said.
Creation of the new endowment comes as 91热爆网 is in the midst of its 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for the university鈥檚 academic, student engagement and athletics programs. Additional contributions to support the program can be made by clicking on the 鈥溾�� button at the website up.wcu.edu.
For more information or to make a contribution to the campaign, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.
