May 22, 2024 – College students often talk about the importance of “the college experience.” Thanks to the renewal of a $1.2 million Florida Postsecondary Comprehensive Transition Program (FPCTP) Grant, Santa Fe College’s Project SAINT will continue to provide a very important college experience to young adults with intellectual disabilities/unique abilities.
Students in the program enroll in “a small, selective, intensive, modified (non-credit) curriculum which includes a range of Adult Education and General Education options,” said Linda Mussillo, Program Administrator, Project SAINT.
Perhaps more important, supported part time by SF student mentors, up to 15 Project SAINT students annually can participate in campus activities, clubs, and events as well as gaining valuable work experience as interns in a wide range of departments on campus. Central to the experience, they also earn professional credentials along the way. In the process, like other college students, they develop important skills they need as young adults entering a broader world.
Project SAINT is entering its 7th year as an approved Florida comprehensive transition program.
Project SAINT stands for “Student Access and Inclusion Together.” Students in the program are fully integrated with other SF students in all areas, academically, socially and as a community. They can participate for either one or two years, depending on goals, interests and needs.
The purpose of the grant is to increase independent living, inclusive and experiential postsecondary education, and employment opportunities for students with intellectual disabilities. Students are additionally supported by scholarships made available by the Florida state legislature through the Florida Center for Students with Unique Abilities. The program is “transformative,” said Linda Mussillo. “Time and again our students and families say that we are ‘changing their lives.’”
In addition to student mentors and the Program Administrator, four other staff members support the project, including a job developer/career specialist; an alumni liaison; a mentor coordinator; and a horticulture specialist who supports one of the pathways among which students select.
Learn more about Project SAINT: sfcollege.edu/prepare/adult-education/project-saint.