NOTE: The trailblazing Pragmatic Studies Program at the University of St. Thomas-Houston’s Kolbe School of Innovation and Professional Studies was developed for students with learning differences. It is the only program of its kind in the country and has a waiting list every year.
Looking as if he might be at home at a polo match, charismatic Pragmatic Studies sophomore Nicholas Nilson typically sports a jacket and bow tie and tops it off with a hat on his curly brown hair. However, since August, this people-person who aims to become a flight attendant has traded his dapper wardrobe for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a paid intern in the Disney College Program. You can find him working and having the time of his life in a restaurant zone at Disney’s EPCOT in Orlando, Florida.
“Nicholas is a total extrovert and absolutely loves working at EPCOT’s food kiosks and interacting with the customers,” the chair of The Kolbe School’s Pragmatic Studies Program, Dr. Tera Torres, said. “He even asked for and got a three-month extension on his food service post there.”
The Importance and Range of Internships
Nilson is the first St. Thomas student to receive an internship at Disney. He lives independently in Disney housing there and pays his own rent.
UST-Houston’s trailblazing Pragmatic Studies program for students with learning differences includes many other meaningful apprenticeships. The career range runs the gamut from teachers’ aides, computer scientists, office workers, and beekeepers.
Dr. Torres said, “We have a student who is no longer held back by his dyslexia. With his college success, he now realizes how capable he is and that law school and the political stage are viable options for him. His internship has him working and learning from a businessman who ran for public office.”
Dr. Torres explained that Pragmatic Studies students, just like UST’s other students, complete the program, fulfill an internship, and then go out into the world to contribute to society.”
Creating More Opportunities and Spaces for People to Be
The program now serves 97 students with learning differences and will place another 48 interns in May.
What began as an Associate of Applied Science in Pragmatic Studies degree has expanded to include the Pragmatic Studies Bachelor of Applied Arts and Science in Social Innovation and Human Service degree program. In May of 2025, the first cohort from this remarkable BAAS program will graduate.
Behind the beating heart of this fantastic program is its creator, Dr. Torres, who demonstrates an unstoppable passion for her work.
“We come in every day hoping to create more opportunities and spaces for students to succeed because we believe there is a place for everyone everywhere. In Pragmatic Studies, we’re not trying to fit students into boxes — we want to take you as far as you want to go, not where I want you to go.”
Several students set to graduate in May will head to graduate school. One will enter UST’s program for Clinical Mental Health Counseling, another is applying to MBA programs, and a third is looking to join a master’s program in physics.
As The Kolbe School continues to pave the way for students with learning differences, the impact of the Pragmatic Studies Program is creating a more inclusive future for all.