KCTCS welcomes students back to campus with support designed for every learner

LifeWorks Bridge Academy expands support for autistic and neurodivergent students across community college system

As thousands of new and returning students head back to Kentucky Community and Technical College System campuses across the Commonwealth this fall, they bring different backgrounds, experiences, goals and needs. Across KCTCS, the focus remains the same: ensuring every student has access to the resources, support and opportunities they need to succeed in college and beyond.

For autistic and other neurodivergent students, that support can include help navigating challenges that extend beyond the classroom, from new social situations and coursework to finances, employment and daily responsibilities. Through a growing partnership with LifeWorks, KCTCS is helping students build the academic skills, confidence and independence needed to navigate college and prepare for their futures.

The LifeWorks Bridge Academy provides individualized academic support, coaching, peer connections and preparation for employment and independent living. As students return to campus for the fall semester, the program is expanding its reach across KCTCS, giving more students access to specialized support within the same welcoming college communities as their peers.

Seven KCTCS colleges currently partner with LifeWorks: Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College, Elizabethtown Community and Technical College, Jefferson Community and Technical College, Bluegrass Community and Technical College, Big Sandy Community and Technical College, Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College and Hazard Community and Technical College. Gateway Community and Technical College will join the partnership this fall, expanding the Bridge Academy to eight KCTCS colleges.

“The goal of the Bridge Academy is to increase academic success and student retention for autistic and neurodivergent students while also increasing their future employment and independence outcomes,” said Hendrix Brakefield, director of LifeWorks. “We started with a pilot year at Southcentral Kentucky Community and Technical College where we tested the concept, the need and the value to students. It was a great success. We then invested time and resources to develop the formal program model and associated materials and technology.”

According to Hendrix, approximately 81% of autistic college students attend community colleges, yet structured autism support programs remain limited nationwide. Autistic students graduate at an estimated rate of 39% compared with approximately 60% of their non-autistic peers. LifeWorks is working to improve those outcomes. During its first year, participating students earned an average 3.4 GPA, while 63% received Pell Grants, 46% received financial aid and 46% used academic advising services.

“I hope that means we are setting these students up for a lifetime of success,” said Brakefield. “We had a handful of students graduate during the year and are excited for their next steps.”

For Lakita Covington, independence was one of her main concerns when her son, Jailin Covington, first entered the LifeWorks program. She worried about his ability to make decisions, live independently, establish friendships, recognize social cues, manage finances and maintain his physical safety. She quickly learned, however, that LifeWorks and its KCTCS partnership were the right fit.

“Jailin was able to participate with individuals with the same interests,” Covington said. “He enjoyed attending the Bridge Academy program because he felt like he could be himself. He seems more open when having a conversation and seems to have more of an upbeat personality. He has been more interested in attending group activities and being more social.”

LifeWorks helped Jailin academically by working with him before his classes and providing the continued support he needed to reach his goals.

The program emphasizes work readiness, personal finance, community engagement, housing, transportation, adaptability, cooking, shopping, interpersonal and professional communication, executive functioning, technology use, resource discovery and connection. Coaches help students navigate the social and emotional transition to college, while peer connections, skill and confidence development, motivational interviewing and staff support help students build the autonomy and confidence needed to succeed in higher education and beyond.

“The skills I have learned throughout the program will be able to help prepare me for finding a job,” said Jailin. “[LifeWorks] has improved my social skills and how I interact with other people. I’m more confident and independent. I hope to continue learning and keep building a successful future for myself.”

Because of its partnership with KCTCS, LifeWorks can leverage its relationships with campus faculty and staff to provide students with the best education and resources possible. The Bridge Academy curriculum, coaching model, study hall sessions, skills reviews and focus on resource connection all target growth. Community navigation, housing and transportation, employment readiness, personal finance and long-term planning help ensure participants are prepared to reach their future goals.

“LifeWorks is focused on long-term success, and we believe everything a participant does should be in furtherance of their dreams and aspirations,” said Brakefield.

For KCTCS, programs such as the LifeWorks Bridge Academy are part of a broader commitment to ensuring students have access not only to higher education but also to the individualized resources they need to complete their education and move successfully into the workforce and their communities.

“As we welcome students back to our campuses this fall, we want every Kentuckian to know there is a place for them,” said KCTCS President Ryan Quarles. “Our students come to us with different experiences, different challenges and different goals. Our responsibility is to meet them where they are and help them move forward. Partnerships like LifeWorks help us remove barriers, provide the support students need to succeed and fulfill our vision of a college for every Kentuckian.”

For more information about the LifeWorks Bridge Academy, visit lifeworksforautism.org. To explore programs or apply to KCTCS for the fall semester, visit KCTCS.edu.