A Community Partnership

Nationwide, students with mental retardation have the second lowest rate of participation (6%) in post-secondary education programs (Sitlington, 2003). The College Experience Program is just one of a handful of academic programs in the nation that serves the developmentally disabled population after the age of 21. Launched in the fall of 2005, the CEP was collaboratively developed by The College of Saint Rose and Living Resources. The College of Saint Rose, located in Albany, NY, is a private, non-sectarian liberal arts college with a strong tradition of service and social justice. Living Resources in Albany, NY is a not-for-profit corporation which provides a wide range of programs and services to individuals with developmental disabilities.

The CEP partners have a history of collaboration and a shared philosophy about the fundamental rights of persons with developmental disabilities. That philosophy affirms their right to autonomy, supports their maximum self-actualization and seeks their inclusion in society.

The objective of the CEP co-founders is to afford students who have intellectual disabilities similar opportunities as their siblings and high school peers. These students have the chance to attend college in order to transition to independent adult life - but with accommodated instruction that addresses the students' needs for practical living and working skills.