FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Nov. 28 /PRNewswire/ -- College Living Experience (CLE), a program to help students with autism and other special needs attend college, has named Beth L. Phillips director of its Ft. Lauderdale program.
College Living Experience provides intensive assistance with academic, independent living and social skills to college students with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Asperger's Syndrome, non-verbal learning disorders and other learning disabilities as they attend college.
Phillips earned a master's degree in rehabilitative counseling at Virginia Commonwealth University. She served 13 years as a transition specialist for the state of Virginia, providing technical assistance, training and guidance to students, vocational rehabilitation counselors and public school systems to help students with disabilities meet their academic, career and independent living goals. She then became a disability services specialist at Broward Community College.
"In my role as a disability services specialist at Broward Community College, I worked closely with College Living Experience," Phillips said. "I saw first-hand the comprehensive services CLE offers and how those services help students advance toward more independent living. My passion for CLE's mission caused me to join CLE more than a year ago as admissions coordinator and national outreach director."
Students from around the country can enroll in CLE programs in Austin, Texas, Chicago, Denver, Monterey, Calif., and Washington, D.C. CLE is currently accepting applications at all locations for the January 2008 semester.
CLE assists students who are accepted at any nearby college, university, technical or vocational school. CLE professional staff members work closely with students to provide structured tutoring sessions, independent living skills training and social outings. Students live in apartments near the CLE offices and student centers and receive intensive support in three primary areas to complement their higher-education goals:
* Academics: Each week, students attend two to five 50-minute tutoring
sessions conducted by professional tutors. They also attend a weekly
course review and study-hall sessions three or four times a week.
* Independent living: CLE staff work individually with students to
introduce apartment living and provide support for the development of
life skills. Students receive assistance with establishing and
maintaining a checking account, paying monthly bills, shopping,
preparing meals, cleaning and managing other daily-living necessities.
* Social skills: All students enrolled in CLE are paired with a mentor
who takes on the role of a big brother or big sister. Students have the
opportunity to participate in social-skills groups that gather around
specific activities, such as bowling, cooking, yoga and trips to the
beach. Students may also participate in social skills and stress
management groups that meet with the staff psychologist at least once a
week.
"By offering daily tutoring, independent living assistance, social events and access to a staff psychologist, we make sure all the needs of our students are met," Steven Roth, Ed.D., executive director of CLE, said. "We focus on students' needs so they can focus on their dreams."
CLE is a division of Educational Services of America, the nation's leading national provider of special, alternative and post-secondary education programs.
"The greatest fear of parents of exceptional children is, 'What will happen to my child when I'm gone?,'" Mark Claypool, president and CEO of ESA, said. "Many parents never consider college as an option and they worry their children will not be prepared for independent adulthood. With the support and services of CLE, exceptional students can attend college, earn degrees and achieve the academic and social skills they need to live independently."
For more information on CLE, visit http://www.cleinc.net/ or contact Patricia Giner, national director of admissions, at 800-486-5058.
About Educational Services of America
Educational Services of America is the nation's leading provider of K-12 and post-secondary alternative and special education programs Based in Nashville, Tenn., ESA owns and operates more than 120 schools and programs in numerous states throughout the country. ESA provides highly personalized academic and behavioral services for students through the following branded areas: College Living Experience, College Living Prep, ESA Exceptional Schools, Ombudsman Educational Services and Spectrum Center Schools. For more information, visit http://www.esa-education.com/.
Educational Services of America
