The LifePrep program has become one of the reasons I believe Nazareth to be the best college for me. But, instead of me telling you what LifePrep is, I interviewed two of my friends who have had various roles in LifePrep to give more insight. I also had the opportunity to interview my friend Kiera, who is a LifePrep student!
Victoria and Kiera after getting their hair done! Looking good ladies!
Q: What is Lifeprep?
Stephanie: LifePrep is a transitional program for college age students with intellectual disabilities, or ID, teaching life skills, safety skills, vocational skills while also letting the students take college level classes. A huge goal is to integrate students with the Naz community.
Victoria: A transitional program that focuses on teaching transitional and functional skills to young adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities and also focuses on fostering friendships between the life prep students and other students on campus.
Kiera: LifePrep is learning how to budget money and live by yourself, teaching things that you want to learn by yourself, going on field trips like bowling and going to the mall to Christmas shop. It’s really fun. We volunteer too.
During a clinic session with the Communication Sciences and Disorders student clinicians and the LifePrep students!
Q: How long have you been working with LifePrep? What roles have you had?
Stephanie: 4 years; I’ve been a classroom aide, classroom ambassador, lunch buddy, advisement mentor, student clinician, job coach.
Victoria: 2 years; I’ve been a class ambassador, a lunch volunteer, a mentor for outside activities, and a student clinician.
Kiera: 4 years and I’m graduating this year; I’ve been a student and a best friend to everyone and like a sister to the mentors.
Victoria and Kiera at the Nazareth College Formal with two other LifePrep Students; everyone definitely looked their best!
Q: Do you believe that it has an impact with the LifePrep students and families?
Stephanie: Yes, for sure, people are moving into the district just to have the chance to be in the LifePrep program, it’s grown immensely in the past five years, there are already people on the waiting list to get into this program. This truly has been a meaningful and successful program.
Victoria: Yes because the mentors have developed really strong friendships and have gotten to know families. The feedback from families has been 100% positive.
Kiera: Yes because it taught me to live by myself and move out from my family’s house. It’s impacted my parents because they want me to move out and live by myself and save money up which is something I’ve learned in LifePrep.
Stephanie hanging out and having some lunch with two LifePrep Students!
Q: How has LifePrep impacted you?
Stephanie: Before I worked with them on campus, I had never been around students with disabilities and getting to know them made me realize that we have more in common than I had thought and the LifePrep classroom has become a second home for me on this campus. I have never left there in a bad mood.
Victoria: Participating in LifePrep has been one of the best experience of undergrad. I’ve developed some of the best friendships with some of the LifePrep students and they have taught me just as much I have taught them.
Kiera: It helped me because we worked on living by myself and saving money. I have more friends including the mentors.
Stephanie and Lucas taking a nice walk on campus to class!
Nazareth offers a TON of community service opportunities like internships at non-profit companies, alternative spring breaks, and yoga service.