DULUTH — Lake Superior College has received a $185,864 grant from the Minnesota Office of Higher Education to support its new Program for Accessible College Education, or PACE, which aims to expand postsecondary opportunities for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
LSC was one of just three institutions statewide selected to receive funding from OHE’s total allocation of $585,864. The initiative will create the first program of its kind in northeastern Minnesota, providing students with intellectual and developmental disabilities a chance to continue their education, develop independence and acquire job skills needed by local employers.
“Lake Superior College is incredibly humbled to receive the second year of this grant,” said Linda Kingston, president of Lake Superior College. “We anticipate that we will be ready for a pilot student or two in January 2026 and welcome a small cohort of students in Fall 2026. The PACE program, serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities, will provide a new opportunity for students in our region to continue to learn and grow, become independent, and gain employable skills needed by employers in our region. We look forward to the continued work and implementation of this program.”
Along with announcing the grant, LSC named Erin Thompson as coordinator of the PACE program. Thompson brings more than two decades of experience in disability services and advocacy. She previously worked at Access North Center for Independent Living of Northeastern Minnesota, where she served as independent living program manager overseeing services across nine counties, and most recently held case management roles at St. Louis County Public Health and Human Services.
“I am thrilled to join Lake Superior College in developing the new PACE program,” Thompson said. “I am passionate about building this program alongside students as well as faculty and staff here at LSC as we create an inclusive pathway to post-secondary education for students with intellectual disabilities and demonstrate that inclusive college opportunities are possible.”
The PACE initiative reflects LSC’s mission to offer accessible, high-quality education that meets the needs of students across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. The program will provide an inclusive college experience aimed at preparing students for meaningful employment and independent living.
LSC expects to begin with pilot students in January 2026 and bring in a small cohort by fall of that year.
