Why We Give by John O’Farrell & Gloria Principe, Longstanding School of Theatre Underwriters

December 3, 2019

 

We have been proud College of Adaptive Arts School of Theatre Underwriters for the past 5 years. We have watched this small and mighty college grow tremendously over the years. When we first heard about this equitable collegiate experience for adults with special needs, we were amazed and impressed that a place like this existed. We were quite proud to invest in this innovative collegiate model.


We believe this is a wise investment, as we know there are so many adults out there that are yearning to be able to continue their education to become successful contributing citizens in their own right. Adults whose educational opportunities significantly decline once they are mandated out of the public school system at age 22. Adults who won’t be able to access that accredited degree on a traditional community college campus, but who are quite capable, eager, and hungry to continue learning and growing and reaching their full potential.


We are proud to watch our investment more than double during the past 5 years as College of Adaptive Arts student enrollment has grown from 45 adults in 20+ course offerings/week when we first got involved to now enrolling more than 121 students in over 53 distinct course offerings each week. We believe this team has the tipping-point abilities to take this lifelong equitable collegiate model nationwide and beyond. This team has demonstrated fiscal responsibility and creativity, using donations to grow the model over 1000% since inception.


During this period of the year we are most grateful and thankful to the hard work and dedication of the College of Adaptive Arts team. They really are Moving Mountains for adults who historically have not had access to college education, and they are empowering their student body to Transform Perception of disability more and more each day. Please join us if you can in helping this small and mighty college model reach its full potential and impact.

 

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #16: Board Member Ravinder Lal

By DeAnna Pursai • June 8, 2026
Ravinder has done *so much* to Move the Mountain for College of Adaptive Arts :)

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #15: Student Jonathan N.

By DeAnna Pursai • June 1, 2026
Jonathan strives to be an NFL Cheerleader one day.

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find: CAA Story #14: Student Samuel H.

By DeAnna Pursai • May 25, 2026
When Samuel Hinojosa first discovered his passion for videography and the performing arts, a passion he says is in his genes because he has family who are also in the arts, participating in theater productions and expressing himself through dance became a part of his daily routine. But when he turned 22, he suddenly aged out of the programs he had come to love, leaving a gap in both his routine and his creative outlet. That’s when a chance meeting completely changed his life. Samuel was in an Angels on Stage production when he just so happened to meet DeAnna Pursai and Dr. Pamela Lindsay in the audience. Realizing he was about to age out of Angels on Stage, they encouraged him to explore the opportunities available to him at CAA. Their guidance led him to finding a new beginning. At CAA, Samuel quickly found a place where he could continue to grow creatively. He enrolled in videography, acting, and dance classes, reconnecting him with his passion for performing. After taking many performing arts classes, Samuel started exploring what other classes CAA had to offer. He has joined the CAA Go Green Climate Action Class, where he did a phenomenal presentation on UNESCO and how climate change is impacting his native roots community in Mexico. Now in his second semester at CAA, Samuel has expanded his interests beyond just the stage and production lens. He’s developed an interest in bodybuilding and nutrition, exploring what those classes can teach him and how he can use that new confidence to improve his life. CAA’s supportive environment has allowed Samuel to continue exploring his passions, while also discovering new ones. It doesn’t matter if he is behind the camera, performing, or focusing on his health and fitness goals, CAA is constantly pushing Samuel to try new things and grow. For Samuel, CAA is not just a place for him to take classes, it is a community where he can express himself, try new things, and keep moving forward. — Written by Nina Pal Volunteer

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