The Will County Jaguar Jumps Fall 2026 Cohort is an innovative, multi-faceted course designed for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This course integrates post-secondary academic coaching, career readiness, transit independence, and specialized mental health literacy. Over 10 active meeting dates and dedicated experiential learning modules, students will earn three stackable 15-hour Mental Health Micro-Credentials while engaging in direct career preparation. The curriculum combines classroom instruction with high-impact community experiences, including transit accessibility training with the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) of Chicago, hands-on trade exploration at the OAI Makers Lab, professional resume development with GSU Career Services, mock interviewing, and attendance at the annual Illinois Statewide Transitions Conference.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES & COMPETENCIES

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

Students in this cohort complete three sequential 15-hour micro-credentials awarded by GSU's School of Extended Learning. Topic exploration will include: emotional self-regulation, mental health literacy, recognizing triggers, transit wellness, somatic stress management, cognitive grounding, professional etiquette, and workplace adaptability, workplace accommodations, disability self-advocacy, community care systems, and career transition planning.