he Transitioning Beyond High School early hour of the 2025 Chester County College Fair offered a structured setting for families to explore institutions with special education supports.
Chester County families gathered at United Sports in Downingtown on Monday, October 27, to attend the annual Chester County College Fair, organized by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU), sponsored by CCRES Educational and Behavioral Health Services, and powered by StriveScan.
“The Chester County College Fair brings everything families need right to their doorstep,” said Jay Della Ragione, special events coordinator for the CCIU. “Instead of spending months visiting different campuses, parents and students can explore dozens of options in one evening right here in Downingtown. I’ve seen families walk in feeling overwhelmed and leave with real clarity about their next steps. It’s incredible to watch students connect with schools they might never have considered and get their questions answered face to face. That’s what makes this event so special; it takes something that can feel really daunting and makes it manageable and even exciting.”
“The college fair benefits everyone because it gets students excited about the potential of seeing themselves in college,” said college representative Brandon Rodriquez Torrento of John Carroll University. “It’s a great time to ask questions and get excited for post-graduation.”
With representatives from over 160 higher education institutions all under one roof, students and their families had the opportunity to explore everything from two-year community colleges and four-year universities to military programs, nursing schools, trade schools, and special education pathways.
For the second year in a row, the Chester County College Fair offered the Transitioning Beyond High School early hour program. Open to students with disabilities and their families, this unique program gave attendees the opportunity to learn about inclusive higher education programs, as well as how to access disability supports and have individualized conversations with university representatives.
“The Transitioning Beyond High School early hour session provided a calm, focused environment where students with disabilities and their families could have meaningful conversations without the crowds of the full college fair,” said Meaghan Stolnis, training and consultation specialist for the CCIU, who helped organize the early hour program. “It offered direct access to representatives who understand inclusive higher education and could discuss specialized support services, accommodations, and individualized pathways. For many families navigating this transition, the personalized attention and expert guidance provided by this program are truly invaluable.”
Attendees to the early hour session and college fair were able to tour their options from coast to coast in one evening and talk to representatives about admissions requirements, academic offerings, financial aid, extracurricular activities, and campus life. The event was powered by StriveScan, which enabled instant information exchange between attendees and representatives, offering a way to connect without having to fill out forms.
Maura McCann, high school student and first-time college fair attendee, described the event as a “big learning experience,” emphasizing that each interaction with different representatives gave her an opportunity to learn about aspects of college life, from how housing works to student/teacher ratios. She went on to explain that the face-to-face element of the fair made the experience more personal compared to if she were to interact with the same representatives over email.
“This fair allowed my daughter to interact with the representatives,” said John McCann, Maura’s father. “It empowers the parents to kind of step away and let their student have the one-on-one interaction to be prepared to take those next steps in college.”
As the evening came to a close, families left the fair with new insights, connections, and a clearer sense of direction for the future. The event highlighted the CCIU’s commitment to supporting every student’s postsecondary journey, whether that path leads to college, career training, or specialized programs designed to meet individual needs.
The Chester County College Fair is organized by the CCIU on behalf of Chester County students and their families. For more information about the Chester County College Fair and other CCIU special events, please contact Jay Della Ragione at Ja**@**iu.org or call 484-237-5053.
