Frisco Student Accepted into Texas A&M ACHIEVE Program

You can do anything you put your mind to and there is a young lady in Frisco proving just that.

Callie Colgrove, 21, has been accepted into the Texas A&M ACHIEVE program. ACHIEVE stands for Academic Course in High Inclusive Education and Vocational Experiences.

The ACHIEVE program is the first inclusive four-year postsecondary education program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This is the program’s second year.

“She has wanted to go to college ever since I could remember,” Callie’s mom Rhonda said. “Unfortunately, it wasn’t something that we ever thought possible. But, we treated her school career just like our son, you have to study hard and do well in school if you even want to consider going to college. She stayed on an academic path throughout her high school career, while it was modified, it was still challenging for her and she was the driving force behind it.”

They took the chance on something more for Callie. Something that would take her to the next level.

“The application process for A&M was quite intense. We had a 38 page application to fill out, and a large section she had to do on her own. We had to submit formal testing done in the schools and a video of why she wanted to go to college and what she hoped to do after graduation. She made it to the next round, a zoom interview with the ACHIEVE directors. Who knew she would be practicing for what would become our reality a couple of months later? After that interview, she was invited down for a full day of campus interviews. The parents had a short interview, but she spent four hours doing various interviews and activities. Of course, she had a blast and then we found out she was accepted!”

A feat the entire family has been celebrating ever since they received word she got in.