Past GIDDI Events

Social Connection GIDDI Night - March 10, 2026

This GIDDI night offered students a variety of valuable activities to build social connection and perspective taking skills. The evening began with an outdoor obstacle course where students learned to work together and help their partner overcome obstacles. The indoor activities included sharing an encouraging message and playing a challenging game of pictionary.

“When all else fails” GIDDI Night - February 24, 2026

This GIDDI night encouraged students to utilize problem solving skills to support cognitive flexibility, an important life skill. This essential GIDDI NIGHT acted as an introductory to adult life and the often navigations that come with adult life. This fulfills FGCU GIDDI’s goal of creating graduates that welcome intellectual and developmental disabilities.

NeuroWings - February 10, 2026

NeuroWings is a student-led peer group focused on celebrating Neurodiversity through social connections and support. This holiday themed meeting invited students to create a “Self-love Bingo” card to encourage healthy coping and resiliency skills. NeuroWings aligns with GIDDI’s mission of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive by fostering a social group where students can lean on one another for support and encouragement.

Bloom and Brew Spring 2026 - February 19, 2026

Bloom and Brew is an event that took place on the library lawn to enhance student wellbeing by inviting students to connect with new resources on campus. While students enjoyed complimentary coffee and flower bouquets, GIDDI offered them the opportunity to create self-love affirmation cards to encourage compassion and self-care. This supports GIDDI’s mission of creating a campus where all students can thrive.

Speed Friending Spring 2026 - February 10, 2026

The Speed Friending GIDDI Night provided an opportunity for students to connect with other students to create lasting friendships. This event met all three of FGCU GIDDI’s goals: making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive, creating graduates who welcome neurodiversity, and building a network of organizations that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Marieb Art Show Spring 2026 - February 24, 2026

The Marieb Art Show serves as a celebration of the Marieb Foundation. Students from varying majors are asked to provide art exhibitions related to health studies and compete for cash prizes. FGCU GIDDI is invited as a representation of FGCU's commitment to advocacy and intellectual and developmental disabilities awareness. This event meets FGCU GIDDI's need to support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilties by creating a network that supports IDD.

Fall State Games Special Olympics Healthy Athletes- May 15 , 2025

The Fall State Games Special Olympics Healthy Athletes focal point is to provide free health screenings and educate athletes with IDD to enhance the health and performance of these athletes. This event allowed GIDDI ambassadors to gain new experiences and skills while working with many different individuals. The ambassadors were then able to bring those skills and ideas back to GIDDI to help improve our own space. This event aligns with the idea of facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD. 

De LaSalle Resource Fair - November 18th, 2025

The DeLaSalle Resource Fair allows students to learn about different career and technical programs available to them after high school. The fair shows students that they have a variety of options post high school and encourages them to find the right fit for them. This event allowed GIDDI to present these students with one of the paths students can take after high school. GIDDI was able to showcase that FGCU is a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive. 

Music and Movement GIDDI Night - January 27, 2025

The purpose of this GIDDI night was to weave music and sound into outdoor exercise. Students had the opportunity to play musical instruments and connect with one another on musical preferences. Students even collaborated to create a GIDDI night playlist! 

Say Yes to the Nest- October 18, 2025

The Say Yes to the Nest event is hosted by FGCU for students who are considering this university or who are incoming first year students. This event provides students with information about the university and allows students to explore FGCU to see if it would be a good fit for them. This event allowed GIDDI to present the resources and programs it provides to potential new students. This aligns with GIDDI’s goal to create a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive. 

Kickball w/ PiKapp and Recwell- November 04, 2025

The kickball event with PiKapp and Recwell is a collaboration of FGCU  organizations participating in a friendly game of kickball together. This event helps GIDDI connect with a variety of organizations and allows students with IDD to get involved with more campus activities. This aligns with GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD. 

APD and VR Seminar-November 08 ,2025

The APD and VR Seminar is an event for anyone who is working toward the common goal of helping individuals with IDD thrive. The Agency for Person with Disabilities (APD) and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) are the groups that have representatives presenting throughout this seminar. This event allowed the GIDDI team to learn from APD and VR about how they are able to help individuals with IDD thrive, this might be within the FGCU community or elsewhere. This event aligns with all three of GIDDI’s goals including creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Adaptive Sports Seminar ft. Greater Buffalo Adaptive- October 03, 2025

The FGCU Adaptive Sports Seminar partnered with Greater Buffalo Adaptive Sports (GBAS) to discuss the key points about the plan to incorporate successful adaptive sports and recreation programs into the communities of the Southwest Florida region. This event aligned with GIDDI’s mission of facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD.

Food Forest Collaboration for GIDDI Night- October 13, 2025

The Food Forest Collaboration for GIDDI Night was a tour and explanation of the FGCU Food Forest, as well as a discussion about healthy and balanced diets. This event allowed GIDDI to show students a part of campus that they might not have known about and inform them about it. It also allowed students to collaborate with each other about how and what they eat to maintain a healthy diet. This aligns with GIDDI’s goal to create a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive. 

FGCU Resource Fair- October 16 , 2025

The FGCU Resource Fair is an opportunity for students and alumni to find employers who are looking to hire them. This gave GIDDI the chance to find more employees for them, as well as take a peek at other places around the FGCU community that are hiring. This helps GIDDI have more resources for students who come into GIDDI seeking guidance about job opportunities. This event aligns with GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Unique Abilities Day- September 16, 2025

Unique Abilities Day provided an interactive learning experience for FGCU students to develop a deeper understanding for the unique challenges individuals with IDD may face. GIDDI helped encourage students to see different perspectives while engaging in fun, meaningful activities. This event aligns with GIDDI’s mission of creating a campus that develops graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD and invites students with IDD to thrive.

Seated Volleyball- September 22, 2025

Seated volleyball was an event that was coordinated by FGCU GIDDI and FGCU's Recreation and Wellness Intramural Sports team. This collaboration brought various students together with various abilities to participate in this adapted sports. This event met FGCU GIDDI's goal of creating graduates that advocate for intellectual and developmental disabilties.

Adaptive Sports Day 2025- October 04, 2025

The annual FGCU Adaptive Sports Day event encourages students with IDD to 

participate in different adaptive sports and recreational activities. It also teaches students about the abilities of different people and challenges that others may face that they do not face. Through this event GIDDI is able to encourage students to think from different perspectives while engaging in fun activities and inform students on resources GIDDI provides. This event helps GIDDI work towards their goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and develop graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD. 

First GIDDI Night Fall 2025- August 29, 2025

The first GIDDI night of the Fall 2025 semester encouraged students to get connected and catch up with one another after summer break. GIDDI nights provide opportunities for students to create social connections through creative learning activities. This eventful evening aligned with GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD.

Involvement Fair Fall 2025- September 03, 2025

The Involvement Fair is a great opportunity for students to meet many of the Registered Student Organizations, Sports Clubs, and Offices at FGCU.  This event helped GIDDI Ambassadors put the GIDDI name out there for students and other clubs on campus. The event aligned with all three of GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, develop graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitate a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Speed Friending Fall 2025- September 09, 2025

The Speed Friending GIDDI Night is targeted to expose students to interacting with other students in order to create lasting friendships. This event met all three of FGCU GIDDI’s goals: making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive, creating graduates who welcome neurodiversity, and building a network of organizations that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Special Needs Swim Safety Day- May 31, 2025

Special Needs Swim Safety Day is a free community seminar where various Southwest Florida organizations come together to discuss safe swimming information, offer demonstrations, and share resources. The community is invited to this free seminar hosted at the FGCU Recreational Pool, featuring a discussion with professionals on safe swimming and habits to adopt at the start of Summer. This meets FGCU GIDDI's goal of creating a network of organizations that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and making Southwest Florida a community that allows individuals with intellectual and developmental needs to thrive.

Family Cafe 2025- June 13, 2025

Family Cafe is an event that brings organizations in Florida together around intellectual and developmental disabilities

FGCU GIDDI was represented by our program director Dr.Ellen Donald and the event allowed for neccessary exchange of resource information and inside look at what organizations hope to accomplish. This meets FGCU GIDDI's goal to create a network of organizations that support intellectual and developmental disabiltiies.

Service Learning Fair- August 18,2025

The Service Learning Fair provides opportunities for students to connect with and learn about local and on-campus community partners. This event helped GIDDI Ambassadors share how students can make a difference by volunteering with GIDDI. The event aligned with all three of GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, develop graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitate a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Finals Tabling to promote self-care during finals week-April 24, 2025

The Finals Tabling to promote self-care during finals week acted as a week-long tabling event where FGCU GIDDI was able to support students by demonstrating the importance of sensory relief during overwhelming periods of time. This event served FGCU GIDDI’s goal of making FGCU and Southwest Florida a more welcoming place for intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive.

FGCU RISE graduation-May 01,2025

The FGCU Rise graduation was an event that the FGCU GIDDI staff was invited to support our on-campus exceptional students' graduation. This served FGCU GIDDI’s goal of creating a network of organizations that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Best Buddies Walk - May 3, 2025

The Best Buddies Walk  is a walk at Estero Park that brings together members of the community. FGCU GIDDI staff wore their uniforms and engaged in conversations about intellectual and developmental disabilities and the importance of supporting varied abilities in the community. This serves FGCU GIDDI’s goal of making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive.

Symposium: Innovations in Supporting Individuals with IDD- March 28, 2025

The Symposium: Innovations in Supporting Individuals with IDD targeted conversations on special-needs innovation in the community. Members from various Southwest Florida IDD initiatives and organizations came out to have meaningful discussions on assisting the IDD population. FGCU GIDDI’s goal to create a network of organizations that support intellectual and developmental disabilities was met through this event.

Eagle X, GIDDI representing advocacy projects - April 22, 2025

Eagle X is an exhibition of student projects at the FGCU campus, students compete for prices in research, advocacy, and community engagement. FGCU GIDDI staff was asked to judge for the advocacy portion and had students displaying physical therapy research pertaining to FGCU GIDDI. This event meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal of creating graduates who advocate for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and of creating a campus that allows them to thrive.

Special Olympics Summer Games Healthy Athletes Volunteering - May 17, 2025

The FGCU GIDDI staff volunteers at Special Olympics State Games to express the importance of sensory assistance in athletes. The FGCU GIDDI staff encourage the use of the sensory room and often have engaging conversations with athletes around self-advocacy. This meets FGCU GIDDI's goal for creating anetwork of organizations that support intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Eagle Expo- March 22,2025

Say Yes to the Nest is an FGCU event that invites high schoolers from the Southwest Florida area to engage with campus departments and initiatives to help decide on majors and college placement at FGCU. FGCU GIDDI represents a support system for incoming students. This meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal of making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive.

Kindness Event- March 24, 2025

1. The Kindness Event was an event hosted by the FGCU Roots of Campassion and Kindness (ROCK) where FGCU GIDDI was invited to have a unique activity to encourage students to welcome neurodiversity. THis event meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal os creating a campus that welcomes individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

GIVE Day 2025- March 26, 2025

GIVE DAY is an FGCU tradition where FGCU departments encourage philanthropy from the Southwest Florida community. Tabling involves including students and encouraging them to make donations to assist their favorite on-campus departments. This meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal of creating a more welcoming FGCU and Southwest Florida community for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Say Yes to The Nest - February 15, 2025

Say Yes to the Nest is an FGCU event that invites high schoolers from the Southwest Florida area to engage with campus departments and initiatives to help decide on majors and college placement at FGCU. FGCU GIDDI represents a support system for incoming students. This meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal of making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive.

Bloom and Brew-February 28, 2025

Bloom and Brew was an event hosted by the University’s Recreation and Wellness Center that aimed to enhance student well-being through offering different campus resources. This event provided GIDDI ambassadors with an opportunity to highlight the services available to students on campus. This event aligns with GIDDI’s mission of creating a campus that is inviting for students with IDDs and developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDDs.

Spring Kickball Game with PiKapp and Starability-March 18, 2025

The kickball event with PiKapp and Starability is a collaboration among FGCU organizations and a local organization, featuring a friendly kickball game. This event helps GIDDI connect with a variety of organizations and allows students with IDD to get involved with more campus activities. This aligns with GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD. 

Soaring with Service-January 30, 2025

The Soaring for Service event acts as an outreach event for students to get involved with on-campus initiatives and to learn about what the Southwest Florida community has to offer. This meets FGCU GIDDI's goal of creating graduates that welcome neurodiversity through activities that open their eyes to varied abilities- adaptive cornhole which is shown above is a cornhole game with a beeper which allows visually impaired students to participate in this fun lawn game.

Mental Health and Special Needs Seminar- February 04, 2025

The Mental Health and Special Needs seminar was targeted to raise awareness of mental health concerns among the special needs population. Special guests from Rochester, NY were invited to present from the Golisano Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities Nursing (GIDDN). This meets FGCU GIDDI’s goal of creating a network of organizations who support intellectual and developmental disabilities

First Speed Friending event with Starability -January 25, 2025

The Speed Friending GIDDI Night is targeted to expose students to interacting with other students in order to create lasting friendships. This Speed Friending event was held in collaboration with Starability and FGCU’s Office of Equity and Compliance. This event met all three of FGCU GIDDI’s goals: making FGCU and Southwest Florida a place for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities to thrive, creating graduates who welcome neurodiversity, and building a network of organizations that support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Involvement Fair Spring 2025- January 17, 2025

The Involvement Fair is a great opportunity for students to meet many of the Registered Student Organizations, Sports Clubs, and Offices at FGCU.  This event helped GIDDI Ambassadors put the GIDDI name out there for students and other clubs on campus. The event aligned with all three of GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, develop graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitate a network of organizations who support IDD. 

 Spring 2025 First GIDDI Night - January 21, 2025

The first GIDDI Night of the Spring semester 2025. During this night GIDDI hosted a BINGO game night. GIDDI Nights are student lead event nights hosted at Module 2 on Tuesdays from 4:00-6:00pm.  This event served GIDDI in many ways by putting GIDDI’s name out there for students and opening the door to students to join. This event meets the goal of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive.

 Eagle Expo-January 25, 2025

Eagle Expo is an in-depth prospective for students to tour and explore the FGCU campus, like visiting and engaging in meaningful conversations regarding all that FGCU has to offer. FGCU GIDDI highlights the importance of neurodiversity at the FGCU campus and empowers all students.

Special Olympics Fall 2024- November 08, 2024

FGCU GIDDI collaborates with Special Olympics Florida to provide volunteer opportunities for students. Students are able to assist with the sports, logistics, and setup to support the athletes with IDDs. This event helped spread the word about GIDDI and for GIDDI to learn new things. The partnership between Special Olympics and FGCU GIDDI forced on fostering community engagement and a welcoming environment for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. . 

First Kickball GIDDI Night - November 19, 2024

The kickball event with PiKapp and FGCU GIDDI is a collaboration of FGCU  organizations participating in a friendly game of kickball together. This event helps GIDDI connect with a variety of organizations and allows students with IDD to get involved with more campus activities. This aligns with GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and developing graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD. 

Best Buddies Race- December 14, 2024

The Best Buddies Race event is an annual fundraising campaign for Special Olympics Florida, supporting year round sports, health services, and a variety of leadership programs for athletes with IDDs. The Best Buddies Race helped spread the word about GIDDI and for GIDDI to learn new things. This event meets GIDDI’s goals of  creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, developing  graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD. 

 Service-Learning Fair- September 19, 2024

The Service-Learning Fair connects students with local no-profit and government agencies for required service-learning hours for students. This tabling event served GIDDI in many ways by getting GIDDI’s name out on campus and inviting students to join. The goals that aligned with this event were creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and facilitated a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Adaptive Sports Day 2024- October 05, 2024 

The FGCU Adaptive Sports Day is an annual, free event that is designed for individuals with disabilities to explore, engage in, and try various adaptive sports and equipment. The purpose of this event is to promotes physical activity, and mental health for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event aligned with all three of the goals of GIDDI; creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, developing  graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitating a network of organizations who support IDD. 

Make a Difference Day- October 26, 2024

FGCU Make a Difference Day is a service event that hosts student volunteers and local nonprofits and government agencies. It fosters community connections, and offers service-learning hours. This event allowed GIDDI to present to FGCU students and staff with information on service-learning opportunities and ways to serve GIDDI. GIDDI was able to showcase that FGCU is a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive and to work with other student organizations and local members of the community who support IDD. 

The Nesting Place - July 18, 2024

The Nesting Place opened July 18, 2024; which is the first sensory friendly room on FGCU campus. It provides a safe space for everyone to come and take a minute or two to themselves. It is a technology free zone where students and/or staff can enjoy relaxing and take a minute to breathe. The Nesting Place serves GIDDI by putting the name out there on campus and gives students a resource to help them through the day or week. The goal that the Nesting Place meets is to create a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive. 

First GIDDI Night- September 17, 2024

The start of GIDDI Nights and of GIDDI. This GIDDI Night was a game night for anyone who wanted to join. Some of the RISE program students joined in that night. This event served GIDDI in many ways by putting GIDDI’s name out there for students and opening the door to students to join in on Tuesday nights from 4:00-6:00pm in Module 2. This event meets the goal of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive. 

Involvement Fair Fall 2024

The Involvement Fair is a great opportunity for students to meet many of the Registered Student Organizations, Sports Clubs, and Offices at FGCU.  This event helped GIDDI Ambassadors put the GIDDI name out there for students and other clubs on campus. The event aligned with all three of GIDDI’s goals of creating a campus that invites students with IDD to thrive, develop graduates who advocate for individuals with IDD, and facilitate a network of organizations who support IDD.