Matt C. is an off-campus student at CIP’s Berkshire Center, and he is a fine example of the strides a student can make while at CIP.
Matt started out with some hesitation about coming here; fresh from high school he came in as a level 2 student enrolled at Berkshire Community College (BCC).
While living on campus he was working toward his AA degree in Human Services, as well as exploring career opportunities. He first started volunteering at Berkshire County ARC, working with adults with developmental disabilities, which soon turned into an internship, and then a paid job.
His role garnered him experience organizing activities, exercises, and helping out with daily living with BCARC’s clients. While attending BCC and working at BCARC, he also had a paid job as a life guard at Berkshire South Community Center, a job he still does now.
Currently, Matt also has a job providing respite care for an individual through Berkshire South. While doing all of this Matt enjoys reading, watching movies, and can be seen running through Lee. If that’s not enough, Matt was the recipient of AANE’s The Matthew Dandurand Award for Exceptional Effort, an award for students with Asperger Syndrome who have shown their own exceptional effort in life.
2012 found Matt graduating from BCC with an AA in Human Services; he is now getting ready to attend classes through Elms College right here in Lee for his Bachelor’s degree. He is enrolled in the Elm’s off campus program, earning his way toward a BS in Social Work. Matt’s initial hesitation about CIP has long since passed, and he looks back at his CIP experience fondly, calling it a “Positive Experience.”
Matt is looking forward to what the future holds for him, and is figuring out his career path as he progresses through his Bachelor’s program.
