Zoom Autism Magazine ZOOM Autism Issue 5 | Page 14

skills. A fee of $1,000 per semester is required to participate in the program in addition to tuition and housing fees. Massachusetts Western New England University - Peer Mentoring Program is for autistic students or those with ADHD. Mentors and mentees will work together to create an individualized plan designed to meet specific personal and academic goals, specifically targeting areas such as communication, social skills, problem solving, organization and time-management. mentoring. Contact the school directly for fees for this program. SUNY (State University of New York) Purchase College - The Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Program provides services that are free and confidential. The goal of the program is to help students navigate through college successfully as well as to prepare them for life after graduation. There is a strong emphasis on the development of academic, social, time management, stress reduction and independent living skills. North Carolina New Jersey Fairleigh Dickinson University’s COMPASS Program at the Metropolitan Campus is designed to provide critical support during the first two years of college so that young adults with Asperger’s Syndrome can discover new competencies, hone trusted coping skills and explore new opportunities for success. The fee for the COMPASS program is $6,376 per academic year in addition to tuition and residence fees. Rutgers University College Support Program (CSP) for Students on the Autism Spectrum addresses executive functioning, social competence, academic success, self-care, selfadvocacy and career preparations. Fee is $3,500 per semester plus tuition and housing. New York Bridges to Adelphia Program at Adelphia University is a multifaceted support program that provides academic, social, independent living and vocational support services to students who often struggle with issues typically associated with nonverbal and neurosocial disorders. Services include academic coaching, learning assistance, problem solving, social skills training, behavioral modeling and peer 14 ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses Western Carolina University’s UP Program is an inclusive, two-year, on-campus living and learning experience. The goal of the program is to facilitate UP students’ transition from secondary school to adult life with education, employment and independent living. Contact the school directly for fees and more information. Pennsylvania Eastern University - The College Success Program for Students Living with Autism Spectrum Disorder is designed to maximize students’ potential as they live and learn within a caring Christian community. Support is offered for academics, social skills, life skills and campus culture. Contact the school for fees. Mercyhurst University’s Autism/Asperger Initiative (The AIM Program) is designed for students who, while exhibiting superior intellectual ability, face challenges in executive functioning and social interactions. The program focuses on a collaborative model that promotes the development of self-advocacy and independent living skills to encourage sound academic and social progress. Recognizing the role that parents have played in their students’ lives, families are consulted when appropriate in matters of concern. Contact the school for Kenneth, in the grey standing in back with lanyard on, and his Delta Sigma Phi Fraternity Brothers. “I graduated from the Western Carolina University Participants Program in October 2014. While I was there, I took classes in criminal justice and political science since I want to be an advocate and lobbyist for inclusive opportunities for students with autism and various disabilities. I made many friends through my supports and friends through the UP program. Some I met through volunteering and clubs I joined like the International Studies club and the Asian Student Association. During my last semester, I joined the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity. At first it was hard because I did not have a GPA, but all the brothers fought to make me an official brother, and at the end of my final semester, I was made an official brother of Delta Sigma Phi. Five months after graduation I started my job with The Arc of The Triangle in Raleigh, NC. I also do a lot of public speaking about my post-secondary education experience. This fall I will be a LEND Trainee Self Advocate and grad student at The Carolina Institute for Developmental Disabilities. LEND stands for Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities. I am currently working on my first book titled My Journey with Inclusion as a Person with Autism.~ Kenneth Kelty (Follow Kenneth and his journey on Facebook) ZOOM Autism through Many Lenses 15