▲ The Build community at the 2025 Homecoming Tailgate. ▼ Build students participate in a game night on campus.
“Learning those skills is really important, because for some of us, that’s hard. We don’t always understand them. Build helps us actually learn those social skills—the things that aren’t really taught, but are expected to be known.” Each year brings a new class of students with a different set of needs, and Build has the flexibility to meet them where they’re at. Students complete a survey identifying the social skills and life topics they want to focus on over the course of the year. Topics range from joining conversations and managing schedules to understanding the difference between an excuse and an apology. “They work on anything and everything that they need to know to live a normal life and to live independently someday,” said Lisa Nordhoff, whose daughter is a Build student. “As a parent, that’s our hope, that our children can live independently and thrive as adults.”
“I know if I’m struggling with something, I can go ask Betsy,” said Huston. “Either she knows the answer, or she’ll know who to talk to about it. Having those connections helps.” The Build community is far more than just accommodations and academics. Outside of the Build office, you’ll find students hanging out, talking casually about classes and life, and probably sharing a meal. Students practice specific social skills at weekly lunches, such as speaking at an appropriate volume, with lessons hosted by McGill or Build mentors—upperclassmen who have experienced the same challenges and continue to develop their own skills through mentorship. “I’m currently working on my speaking volume,” explained Huston. “I used to talk really loudly, and so I’m working on being quieter. So to help me with that, Betsy just pulled out a decibel meter on her phone and recorded how loudly I was talking to show me.
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UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS
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