On the afternoon of Sunday, July 14, 2019 staff transported participants of the Awesome Alumni Activities Club to Bowman Orchards located in Rexford, NY. This site has long been a favorite location for apple picking in the autumn months, although we happily discovered this location also bears strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries throughout the entire summer.
Henry’s family and the College Experience are honoring his numerous accomplishments with our second entry of Family Corner in which family members have the opportunity to talk about their child in their own words. Here is an entry composed with help from Henry’s father, Dennis, and his stepmother, Lisa!
On the evening of Friday, June 28, 2019 the Self-Advocacy Open House Party was so successful that we had to order a second pizza pie at the last minute to accommodate all of the individuals who showed up in the Cafetorium. The purpose of the celebration was to revive group membership and collaborate on finding our voice.
The College Experience Volunteerism class learned about how to turn litter collection into a fun activity as well as making small changes in one’s routine can help reduce their carbon footprint. After the lesson was completed, staff led the students to the nearby streets in the proximity of the College of Saint Rose. Armed with a litter collection claw to pick up glass shards and latex gloves…they got to work.
we are pleased to present the first entry of Family Corner from the family of Mia Carr, who is an alumnus from the 2014-2016 class. This entry was completed with assistance from her loving parents, Brendan and Sue.
Amy invited her fellow alumni of Jordan, Jessica, Bill, and Rob to her apartment in Guilderland, NY where they gathered for hors d’oeuvres and pizza while discussing options for activities that will be enhanced by long summer days!
The College Experience and its extensions serving our alumni always stress the importance of volunteering within the Capital Region while simultaneously pursuing gainful employment. An example of an alumnus who has made incredible strides is Shannon Clark from the 2015-2017 class who has been a steady volunteer at the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society since last January.
The Alumni Activities Club had an incredible time traveling through the CDTA bus on the evening of Thursday, May 30, 2019 to watch the new Elton John biopic, Rocketman, at Crossgates Mall. The movie was a vibrant and often-anguished portrayal of a living legend who actually performed a couple of miles down the street from the College Experience this past March at the Times Union Center.
This has been quite an incredible two weeks for our College Experience alumnus, Nick Williams. On Tuesday, April 23, 2019, he ventured out into New York City with staff to attend the EPIC Players Cabaret fundraiser. On Saturday, May 4, 2019, he had the chance to serve as an assistant usher at an Albany Symphony Orchestra event.
The Alumni Activities Club, that is entirely directed by the alumni with staff leadership, decided to venture onto the Appalachian Trail located in Poughquag, NY within the Dutchess County area. We completed a section less than five miles to a sprawling body of water.
Since 2005, students enrolled in The College Experience have been a welcomed part of a coeducational college community located in Albany, New York. We partner with Russell Sage College, and our students are welcomed members of both Russell Sage’s Albany and Troy campus communities.
Students are offered a practical core curriculum and a wide variety of electives.
Our dorms are beautifully remodeled city residences located just a few blocks from Russell Sage’s Albany campus. Students live together in groups of 3 – 9. Each student has his or her own bedroom and share common living areas. Seniors serve as mentors to freshmen and assist them in many meaningful ways.
What comes after graduation? Many College Experience students, in fact most, choose to remain in Albany. They maintain friendships with their fellow and former graduates, form romantic partnerships, and some get married.
Through our C2L Program, the College Experience support staff offers dedicated transition support and guidance, helping students in the year after graduation with apartment leases and job placements, and then literally forever after as members of the Living Resources community.