Lewis and Clark College Hopes to Expand "College for Life" Program for Adults with Disabilities
Our Daily Show Interview! College for Life at LCCC!
GODFREY/EDWARDSVILLE - Lewis and Clark Community College offers a College for Life program for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
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College for Life allows adults to continue their education beyond high school with non-credit courses that prioritize engagement, socialization and self-advocacy. Students can take a variety of classes every semester.
“College for Life is fun,” said Jay, a College for Life student. “You get to meet lots of friends and learn new things.”
Niki, an instructor with College for Life, echoed Jay. She noted that the program is “extremely rewarding” for instructors and students alike, as she gets to watch her students grow through the years.
She recently taught a “Harry Potter” class, where students made potions and wrote spell books, and a criminal justice class that encouraged students to solve pretend crimes around campus. Other classes, from sewing to money math, are offered every semester. Students are also required to take a self-advocacy course.
“Lewis and Clark’s mission statement is encouraging students, and that is what this program is basically about. It is, I think, the core of what LC’s mission statement is,” Niki said. “They always joke at LC that I’m like the biggest Lewis and Clark cheerleader. I love LC. I love it for these guys. I love it for credit students. It’s a great way to start off your education.”
Melissa, another College for Life student, enjoys the many art classes offered through the program. She has been involved in College for Life for four years, and she plans to take a semester off to pursue art in Spring 2025. She added that she likes College for Life because she loves meeting new people, and Niki is “a celebrity” within the program.
“I’ve been making new friends, because I don’t normally have many friends,” Melissa said. “We are friends, students and teachers. The teachers feel like friends and family, not just normal teachers, honestly.”
Jay added that he loved “Coffee Cart,” a class where College for Life students serve Bunkhouse Joe’s coffee in the LC library. He recently received a scholarship through the class, and he helps serve Bunkhouse Joe’s coffee at the Alton Farmer’s Market during summer months.
There are approximately 180 College for Life students at LC’s Godfrey and Edwardsville campuses. As the College for Life program grows, Niki, Jay and Melissa hope to see more people engage with it.
Niki said she loves working with these “beautiful individuals” and getting to know every student. She encourages people to think about inclusion and friendship when it comes to adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“We are looking forward to just making our program even better and getting more people to even know about it,” she said, adding, “People see adults with disabilities, and sometimes people don’t approach them. And the only thing they all really want to be is included. Don’t we all? We all want to be included.”
For more information about College for Life, including how to apply, visit the official College for Life webpage.
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