I had a wonderful visit at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, about 30 minutes out of Boston. It is April and the flowers are blooming, the cherry trees are gorgeous, and the campus is alive with students enjoying the pretty weather. I can tell you, there is much to enjoy at Curry.
I first met with Tish of the PAL program. What is PAL? The Program for the Advancement of Learning was instituted in 1970 and is one of the best LD comprehensive support programs in the country. PAL’s mission statement is “PAL recognizes and respects each individual as a unique learner with potential for continued growth and the ability to achieve and succeed. PAL encourages students to become self-directed, independent, successful learners, achieving competence and effectiveness. Since learning is an active process, each learner is asked to become actively engaged in the process and to develop an understanding of the particular way s/he processes information.” And yes they do. There are 30 PAL professors who work with PAL students. An entire building is devoted to the workspace and offices of PAL. Students accepted to PAL work one on one with a learning specialist and have access to assistive technology, computer labs, and a testing center. It is truly impressive.
I then headed for a tour of the campus with Aaron, the admission counselor for Texas. Our first stop was the brand new student center! Wow! It is beautiful. Game rooms, dining, fitness center, brand new gym, and electronic monitors detailing events on campus, weather and breaking news.
Students are seen everywhere on this hilly, landscaped campus…especially on the academic quad. Housing is varied, some residence life in houses, some in dorm style living. Tennis courts and outdoor academic facilities dot the campus as well. I really enjoyed my visit, the staff was so friendly, the students seemed energetic and interested in what was happening around them.
I also met Dr. Laurie Fox, editor of “Changing Lives Through Metacognitive Relationships: LD/ADHD and College Success”. I bought a copy of the newly published book which celebrates 40 years of the PAL program.
Curry has a competitive nursing program, a first year experience semester, and a new activity for students called “Curry Up and GO!” Students can take trips throughout the year to go apple picking, shopping at outlets in Maine, and see the tree at Rockafeller Center lit in NYC. New activities are being planned. So needless to say, I really liked Curry College! Go check it out, and tell them Tam sent you!
