College Unbound

Focus Collegiate

Focus Collegiate provides comprehensive and boundless support to college students who learn differently. College UnBound is our podcast. By capitalizing on strengths, we help students build the self-reliance they need to find success and joy in school. Because college should be fun… Join us as we discuss our philosophy, tactics, strategies, and all things college for diverse learners.

  1. 02/10/2023

    Creating Context for Independence: The Summer Cohort

    In this episode of College UnBound, Focus Collegiate Founder and Principal Grant Leibersberger and Enrollment and Outreach Director Ann-Marie Stripling discuss the Focus Collegiate Summer Cohort and the importance of college prep.  The Summer Cohort is a three-week in-person college readiness experience in Boston designed for rising college first-years who need extra support before they land on campus in the fall.  The program addresses academics, life, digital literacy, and independent living skills. Students take classes, work on study habits, and basically get a taste for college life. See sample schedule here.  The staff at Focus Collegiate knows that in the novel setting of college, some of the assumptions a student has about their own learning profile can start to fall away. In the Summer Cohort, before they are inundated with the new responsibilities of college, the student and our staff start to see where a student might struggle and begin to shore up their strengths, creating long-term strategies for college success.  At the Summer Cohort, students practice in a safe environment what college will be like and how they will face its rigors. “It’s very important for both students and parents to practice what it is going to be like going away to college…For students, it’s about previewing all the things they will need to learn; for parents, it’s about ‘what am I going to do with myself now that my son or daughter is gone? What kinds of things are going to change for me as a person?’” said Ann-Marie Stripling. “Forming great relationships is an important output of the Summer Cohort… particularly for the students who are going to be getting to know the staff they are going to be working with in the fall,” said Grant Leibersberger.

    33 min
  2. 02/07/2022

    You Don't Know What You Don't Know - with Occupational Therapist, Brooke Howard

    Welcome to ‘You don't know what you don't know – An Occupational Therapist’s Perspective.’ Our guest is Registered Occupational Therapist, Brooke Howard. Brooke is the Clinical Director and founding partner at Skills for Life and is the Director of Transition to Adulthood at the Ivy Street School, in Brookline, Massachusetts. She has an MS in Occupational Therapy from Sargent College at Boston University and an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Oberlin College. She has been working as a licensed Occupational Therapist since 2005 and has been at Ivy Street School since 2009.  Her background (including a minor in theology) is the perfect foundation for understanding human behavior, how we make meaning, why we act the way we do, and how we understand the world.  Brooke is drawn to individuals who think differently than she does and is driven by her desire for more inclusiveness in our society. She approaches her work from two different directions: personal and societal. She seeks to understand each student she works with by learning about their individual experience so that they can find their own path. At the same time, she seeks to help communities understand and engage the young adults she works with. In this episode, we explore the acquisition of life skills from tooth brushing and laundry to motivation and self-determination. Brooke reminds us that when teaching life skills, we need to afford young adults grace and compassion because they are busy doing a lot of things such as individuation from parents and adapting to a new environment, new schedules, new demands, and expectations.  Listen in for insights into: Self-assessmentPrioritizationVisual MappingLinking habits to goalsBreaking goals down into small stepsAccountabilityInterdependence versus independenceHer parting advice is applicable to all of us: slow down, take a deep breath, and celebrate the victories.

    26 min
  3. 02/01/2022

    You Don't Know What You Don't Know - with Elizabeth C. Hamblet

    Welcome to ‘You Don't Know What You Don't Know – A Learning Disabilities Specialist’s Perspective.’ Our guest is author and speaker Elizabeth C. Hamblet.  Elizabeth has worked as a learning disabilities specialist in college disability services offices for more than two decades. In addition to working at a university, she is a nationally-requested speaker on preparing students with disabilities for successful college transition. She is the author of a book and a laminated guide on this subject, and her work has appeared in numerous journals and online.  In this episode, we learn her origin story (special education was her second master’s degree) and discuss some of the important differences between high school and college. We also discuss why some students do not request accommodations: some students don’t think that have a disability; others want to shed the disability part of their identity as they transition to college. Here are some highlights: The biggest thing parents should worry about is their student’s willingness to seek help.Accommodations won’t matter if the student does not understand the content.College is not meant to be an extension of high school. It is hard.When assessing the appropriateness of a school, parent and students should check documentation requirements and call the disability services office to ask questions. Parents may be surprised at how independent students are required to be. Disability services notwithstanding, a good fit is still paramount.  The landscape of disability services is evolving. Elizabeth’s research on these changes will feature largely in the Third Edition of From High School to College: Steps to Success for Students with Disabilities available from Rowman & Littlefield this summer. Learn more about our guest at LDadvisory.com.

    29 min

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About

Focus Collegiate provides comprehensive and boundless support to college students who learn differently. College UnBound is our podcast. By capitalizing on strengths, we help students build the self-reliance they need to find success and joy in school. Because college should be fun… Join us as we discuss our philosophy, tactics, strategies, and all things college for diverse learners.