East House College Enrichment Program Opens June 4

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Lauren Dixon

Forty participants of East House Career Services will take part in a two-week college enrichment experience June 4–7 and June 11–14 at Rochester Institute of Technology. The experience is designed to augment other treatment and rehabilitation services and to encourage participants who are recovering from mental illness and chemical dependency to pursue educational goals to achieve independence and self-sufficiency.

At the end of the two weeks, students participate in a graduation ceremony and reception. This year’s event takes place at 4 p.m. June 14 in Ingle Auditorium in the Student Alumni Union at RIT. The keynote speaker will be Lauren Dixon, chief executive officer of Dixon Schwabl.

Participants attend a variety of classes, including academic, art therapy and physical fitness classes taught by RIT and Monroe Community College staff and faculty, East House staff and professionals from a variety of community organizations. Participants are also able to utilize RIT’s facilities during the two weeks of the program, including classrooms, computer labs, the library, student life center and gym.

Each component of the program mimics a college experience such as applying for school, raising funds for the experience, orientation, course selection and registration, attending classes, eating lunch on campus, homework assignments and graduation. Since 1996, more than 500 students have benefited from this educational program series. Many have gone on to earn their GED or enroll in local colleges.

For more information, contact Michelle Lanphear at 585-475-4329 or mllgrl@rit.edu.