麻豆直播

A student on the autism spectrum who has reached higher education deserves to have opportunities equal to those afforded to his or her peers. Those enrolled in the program have the same access to internships, interviews and job placements that lead to meaningful careers after graduation.

The Bridges office is a safe space for a student with to build friendships and connect with his or her fellow students鈥攁 task that can often be a struggle. In the office, students have the opportunity to socialize, meet new people or connect with old friends, with the support and guidance of a trained graduate student who understands the social struggles of students on the spectrum. Bridges students can often be found hanging around the office, without social pressure, knowing that the people around them are not judging them.

Many friendships and roommate connections have been born out of interactions at the Bridges office. Students, peers and peer mentors have crafted long-term relationships from meetings there.

A volunteer peer mentor may encourage Bridges students to attend a campus club or social event that they may not have gone to on their own and may even accompany them. Then, once they feel more comfortable, students often continue to attend the activity on their own.

The friendships that develop between the students and their peer mentors often grow beyond mentor-mentee relationships. 鈥淭he mentorship (which is not disclosed to others) falls away quickly,鈥� said Mitch Nagler, Bridges to Adelphi program director, and 鈥渁 true lasting friendship begins.鈥�

Beyond the peer mentorship project, the Bridges program also runs off-campus social outings and on-campus social groups. During the 2012鈥�2013 academic year, a woman鈥檚 support group was launched, providing program participants an opportunity to share thoughts and feelings that all women in college struggle with.

鈥淭hese students have the same problems as everyone else,鈥� Mr. Nagler said. 鈥淭his support group gives them the chance to open up about things in a setting where they feel at ease, and they end up learning from each other.鈥� The group was such a success that this fall Bridges will initiate a similar men鈥檚 group.

But college is more than forging friendships and graduating. The goal is ultimately to get a job and be independent. For students on the spectrum, the thought of applying to or interviewing for a job can often be a nerve-wracking, if not overwhelming, task for them. To address this, Bridges offers a great deal of support in this area, beginning early-on with vocational testing 鈥攚hich may point the student toward a new major. Bridges students can pursue internship opportunities on campus and鈥攖hrough a unique partnership with Birch Family Services, a family service organization in New York City鈥攐ff-campus internships as well.

鈥淚s success graduating students?鈥� Mr. Nagler said. 鈥淵es and no. For me, it鈥檚 also helping them get into meaningful careers so they can flourish and live successful lives.鈥�

The relationship between Bridges to Adelphi students and is one that few universities share. Birch Family Services works with corporations to find experiential learning opportunities and post-college employment. They have successfully placed Bridges graduates at the American Museum of Natural History, PricewaterhouseCoopers and a variety of small firms. Bridges graduates have gone on to excel in the fields of accounting, art and the cutting-edge field of information technology.

“In this highly challenging global labor market, employers are constantly seeking to acquire a competitive advantage, hiring candidates with specific technological and mathematical skill sets,鈥� said Thomas Ward Jr., executive director of the . 鈥淭here is a public outcry from employers that they need students trained in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as the STEM industries.听Working with the Bridges to Adelphi program, the University can offer our employer partners a pipeline of highly talented, conscientious and dedicated candidates who possess these highly demanded (STEM) skill sets and competencies.”

Providing the tools for making new friends and embarking on careers, the services offered by Bridges are innovative, individualized and meant to last a lifetime.听