PITTSBURGH — Adam McChesney needed a standard school expertise. But with autism spectrum dysfunction, McChesney believed he had restricted choices.
That was till McChesney discovered about Rock Life, a four-year program at Slippery Rock University for college students with mental or developmental disabilities.
After 4 years and faculty journeys to London, a nationwide park and Pittsburgh sporting occasions, McChesney earned his Rock Life certificates from the state college in May.
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He was one in all 18 college students enrolled in Rock Life this spring.
“What I appreciated about Slippery Rock and Rock Life is that it gave me such a tremendous alternative to make new mates,” mentioned McChesney, from Warren. “I bought to do a number of enjoyable actions, I bought to be in lots of golf equipment, I bought to go on discipline journeys — I took benefit of that.”
Slippery Rock’s non-degree certificates program provides college students akin to McChesney the chance to earn school credit, socialize and adapt to impartial residing.
The program started in 2016 as a part of the college’s dedication to being an inclusive establishment, mentioned Rock Life director Natalie Burick. She’d wish to finally develop this system’s enrollment to 25-30 college students.
“A whole lot of instances college students with disabilities should not in a position to go on to a school program. This provides these college students the chance to earn some credit, and to additionally develop social expertise and impartial residing expertise whereas collaborating in campus life,” Burick mentioned. “Our college students can have the complete school expertise.”
McChesney’s “full school expertise” included attending lessons, residing in campus dorms and collaborating in loads of extracurricular actions.
Rock Life college students select which programs to take alongside their Slippery Rock friends. For McChesney, that meant finding out theater, music and early childhood schooling.
McChesney additionally participated in musical theater society, movie society, early childhood schooling golf equipment and SRU Marching Pride’s drumline. He even carried out within the 2024 London New Year’s Parade alongside his bandmates.
Rock Life college students are additionally inspired to work at the least two semesters. McChesney labored at baby care facilities on the college and in his hometown in Warren.
And Rock Life college students are buddied up with a peer coach — a fellow Slippery Rock pupil — throughout their time in this system, mentioned Burick. All of this goals to present these college students an immersive expertise.
There are 20 whole increased teaching programs in Pennsylvania particularly catered to college students with mental or developmental disabilities. In Western Pennsylvania, different applications embody Compass at Duquesne University, Bearcat B.E.S.T. at Saint Vincent College and RISE at Westmoreland County Community College — although Rock Life is the one program within the area to supply housing for pupil members.
During Slippery Rock’s graduation, graduating Rock Life college students are honored with their certificates and thunderous applause. It’s essentially the most emotional and uplifting a part of the ceremony, mentioned Slippery Rock spokesman Justin Zackal.
McChesney carried the Rock Life gonfalon on the ceremony. Graduation was bittersweet, he mirrored.
“It’s powerful to say goodbye, however I’m prepared to maneuver on,” he mentioned. “(I’ve) blended emotions.”
Looking to his future, McChesney want to work in early childhood schooling. Numerous Rock Life college students have labored in that discipline and restaurant administration, Burick mentioned.
But interested by the long run, McChesney desires of turning into an actor and representing autism on the stage. Slippery Rock supplied him with expertise in each of his fields of curiosity.
“Someday I’d wish to be an expert actor in theater and even in movement photos,” he mentioned. “There aren’t a number of actors who’re thought of to have autism in a number of films. I simply thought, ‘Why not make a distinction?’”
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