Adam McChesney has autism spectrum disorder. He thought he wouldn’t be able to attend a four-year college. 

Until... 

he found a 4 year program called “Rock Life at Slippery Rock University” in Pennsylvania.  This let Adam have the “whole college experience”.

He was able to live in a dorm, take classes and join different clubs. He took theater, music and early childhood education classes with other Slippery Rock students. He even was in the marching band and got to go to London to perform in the New Years Day parade. During some semesters he worked at a daycare center.

The program didn’t give him a degree but a meaningful certificate of achievement. The people in the Rock Life program got their certificate at the college’s graduation ceremony with all of the other students.

Adam will be working at a day care center, but he really wants to be an actor in plays or movies. Good luck, Adam!

Adapted from an article in the Pittsburgh Post- Gazette