PITTSBURGH — Adam McChesney wanted a traditional college experience. But with autism spectrum disorder, McChesney believed he had limited options.
That was until McChesney learned about Rock Life, a four-year program at Slippery Rock University for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
After four years and school trips to London, a national park and Pittsburgh sporting events, McChesney earned his Rock Life certificate from the state school in May.
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He was one of 18 students enrolled in Rock Life this spring.
“What I liked about Slippery Rock and Rock Life is that it gave me such an amazing opportunity to make new friends,” said McChesney, from Warren. “I got to do a lot of fun activities, I got to be in many clubs, I got to go on field trips — I took advantage of that.”
Slippery Rock’s non-degree certificate program gives students such as McChesney the opportunity to earn college credits, socialize and adapt to independent living.
The program began in 2016 as part of the university’s commitment to being an inclusive institution, said Rock Life director Natalie Burick. She’d like to eventually grow the program’s enrollment to 25-30 students.
“A lot of times students with disabilities are not able to go on to a college program. This gives those students the opportunity to earn some credits, and to also develop social skills and independent living skills while participating in campus life,” Burick said. “Our students can have the full college experience.”
McChesney’s “full college experience” included attending classes, living in campus dorms and participating in plenty of extracurricular activities.
Rock Life students choose which courses to take alongside their Slippery Rock peers. For McChesney, that meant studying theater, music and early childhood education.
McChesney also participated in musical theater society, film society, early childhood education clubs and SRU Marching Pride’s drumline. He even performed in the 2024 London New Year’s Parade alongside his bandmates.
Rock Life students are also encouraged to work at least two semesters. McChesney worked at child care centers at the university and in his hometown in Warren.
And Rock Life students are buddied up with a peer coach — a fellow Slippery Rock student — during their time in the program, said Burick. All of this aims to give these students an immersive experience.
There are 20 total higher education programs in Pennsylvania specifically catered to students with intellectual or developmental disabilities. In Western Pennsylvania, other programs include Compass at Duquesne University, Bearcat B.E.S.T. at Saint Vincent College and RISE at Westmoreland County Community College — though Rock Life is the only program in the region to offer housing for student participants.
During Slippery Rock’s commencement, graduating Rock Life students are honored with their certificates and thunderous applause. It’s the most emotional and uplifting part of the ceremony, said Slippery Rock spokesman Justin Zackal.
McChesney carried the Rock Life gonfalon at the ceremony. Graduation was bittersweet, he reflected.
“It’s tough to say goodbye, but I’m ready to move on,” he said. “(I have) mixed feelings.”
Looking to his future, McChesney would like to work in early childhood education. Numerous Rock Life students have worked in that field and restaurant management, Burick said.
But thinking about the long term, McChesney dreams of becoming an actor and representing autism on the stage. Slippery Rock provided him with experience in both of his fields of interest.
“Someday I’d like to be a professional actor in theater or even in motion pictures,” he said. “There aren’t a lot of actors who are considered to have autism in a lot of movies. I just thought, ‘Why not make a difference?’”
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