The Mountain is Moving at College of Adaptive Arts

February 16, 2022

This has been such a transformative and pivotal time at College of Adaptive Arts. We recently created a new organizational chart from the ground up to aspire to achieve 2 million Sustainable/Operational budget & then future-goal-setting of that next expanded structure to support a $5 million sustainable/replicable operational budget. We were able to double our small and mighty management team from a founding team of 2 to the Fierce Four who are working meticulously behind the scenes to bring this innovative lifelong collegiate model to full fruition.


The CAA Mountain Movers board recently launched a ReGroup & Grow campaign to get CAA staff input to help us lay a solid foundation. We are building a robust pipeline of how to expand our onboarding process to bring to the right people who can teach more classes of interest and will maintain the highest expectations for our adult college students who have so much intellect, critical inquiry, & contributions for our community.


CAA has now reached out and has received full or courtesy vendorization in 7 of the 21 Regional Centers around the state of CA. Our goal is to outreach to the rest and to have those Regional Centers help us reach more eager adults out there who have historically not had access to college education. The Mountain Movers board has established Task Forces on Accessibility, Community College Partnerships, Grants & Underwritings, Marketing, and new draft legislation around ensuring an online learning option is here to stay & potential new codes supporting lifelong education for adults with intellectual differences.


We are up to 171+ adult lifelong learners at our first CAA Swenson West Valley College flagship site and in our online learning community. We don’t plan to stop until we reach every adult out there around the world who has been shut out of a traditional .edu collegiate experience. The path forward is through Inclusive Collegiate Partnerships fostering mutually beneficial programs and opportunities that will benefit both programs as well as the community at large. It is possible and the future looks a bit brighter each and every day. We are deeply grateful for the ever-expanding community who is jumping in to help Move this Mountain for these precious and eager adult lifelong learners. It feels amazing, and on behalf of the entire College of Adaptive Arts Mountain Movers Learning Family- we thank you and ask you to join on this epic journey.

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #25: Professor Eliza :)

By DeAnna Pursai • August 10, 2026
When Professor Eliza Riley first got involved at CAA, it was very different from what it is today. In fact, she has been part of the community ever since the founding in 2009. Over the years, she has watched the CAA community grow, evolve, and continue creating a place where people can express themselves freely and confidently. Long before she began teaching, Professor Eliza served on CAA’s board, helping with fundraising efforts and supporting the community however she could. At the time, she never imagined that one day she would sign up to be a teacher. But with encouragement from her fellow board members, she eventually found her place as a professor. Today, she helps teach two acting classes, and loves sharing the uniqueness of theater with students each week. Professor Eliza fell in love with the performing arts because it gives the performer the freedom to become anyone that they want on stage. For Professor Eliza, theater is a place where she feels like her labels and limitations disappear. She says that when she is performing, her rare disease and the wheelchair no longer defines who she is. Outside the classroom, Professor Eliza is known for bringing warmth and a calming energy to those around her. She often used to bring her dog to classes because his presence helped her stay relaxed and grounded. Although her dog is getting older now and she does not bring him in as often, everyone still asks how he is and why he isn’t in class.  After so many years with CAA, Professor Eliza continues to be an important part of its story. From board member to teacher, mentor, and longtime community member, her journey reflects what CAA is all about: finding belonging, confidence, and joy through the arts. — Written by Nina Pal Volunteer

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #24: Jeffrey C.

By DeAnna Pursai • August 3, 2026
Jeffrey is an amazing student working on his CAA undergraduate diploma.

Where the System Ends, CAA Begins. We Built the College We Couldn't Find. CAA Story #23: Professor Laura J.

By DeAnna Pursai • July 27, 2026
Professor Laura is a graduate from SJSU with a degree in Dance.

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