Residential Supports

Student Apartments

CIP students engage in a 12-month lease and rent a furnished apartment with their own bedroom. Residential goals are focused on obtaining greater competency and success at independent life. Students work cooperatively with their roommate(s) to accurately follow a rotating chore schedule. The residential staff work to assess and teach skills necessary for independence. Students receive support and instruction in apartment maintenance and daily living. Residential staff also hold roommate meetings so that any “roommate” type issue can be worked out.

Executive Functioning Individual Sessions

In coordination with the OT and Wellness Coordinator, the residential staff work individually with students to improve executive functioning skills. During these individual sessions students work on a variety of tasks including organizing their rooms, clear expectations regarding cleaning, hygiene, laundry, and cooking organizational skills and achieving an overall balance of wellness. Students are provided individualized plans with visual cues and executive functioning lists.

Cooperative Cooking

Dining is one of the cornerstones of an active social life. The CIP culinary program is designed to create an educating and rewarding aspect of your daily living experience. We provide training to enhance your skills, assist your independence and boost your level of confidence.

The Weekly Cooperative Cooking Experience

The CIP culinary program is designed to create an educating and rewarding aspect of the daily living experience. We provide training to enhance skills, assist independence and boost confidence levels. The College Internship Program encourages students to buy and prepare healthy foods in their apartments.

Students meet with staff and create a weekly menu. They learn to safely prepare food, clean-up, and save leftovers. Students also learn how to follow simple recipes and adapt them to their needs. They learn to modify recipes and keep their own recipe boxes. They are taught have patience while cooking, paying attention to cooking times through the use of timers and techniques.

Students participate in “Grill and Chill” (potluck) once a week with our Residential Staff. It is a fun time for students to socialize and reflect on the past week.

Individual Cooking Instruction:
These 45-minute sessions include the following:
• Comparative shopping and cooking for yourself and small groups
• Buying and serving healthy foods
• Food preparation
• Food safety
• Proper use of the dishwasher/clean up

Socialization and Recreation

Having an active social life at CIP is an important component of the residential program. Students have the opportunity to develop lasting friendships and social networks through our recreational activities. The diverse student population comes from all across America, as well as foreign countries. The CIP community strives to foster a supportive environment in which all individuals are affirmed and differences are valued.

Students attend a minimum of two recreational activities on the weekends. Students learn to keep an open mind with each activity, to be considerate of peers’ likes and dislikes, and to make compromises. Continuous activity and socialization participation will help students make lifetime connections with many peers and give more self confidence.

Optional Student Educational/Cultural Travel Experience

Each year, the College Internship Program researches and arranges for a fun, educational and culturally-diverse trip during the student break in the spring. Prior to leaving students study and become familiar with the vacation itinerary, as well as the history, language and culture of the country or area that will be explored. While these trips are learning experiences, there is ample time for fun and socialization. (Trips are optional and not included in tuition).