Michael P. McManmon, EdD is the founder of the College Internship Program (CIP),
which serves college-aged students with learning differences and Asperger's Syndrome
in six centers across the U.S.
CIP's goal is to prepare young men and women with skills for life, college, work,
and independent living. Dr. McManmon is an advisory board member of the U.S.
Autism & Asperger Association, Asperger Syndrome Training and Employment
Partnership (ASTEP), and a member of the Autism Society, the National Association
of College Admission Counseling (NACAC), the Asperger's Association of
New England (AANE) and the Learning Disabilities Association.
Dr. McManmon was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome at age 51. His personal struggles and ensuing victories,
and those of his students and staff, inspired him to write his book, Made
for Good Purpose. Our Editor-in-Chief, Polly Tommey, recently had
the opportunity to ask Dr. McManmon about his life and career.
Q. Polly Tommey: You were diagnosed
rather late in life. At what point did you
realize you might be a bit different in
some ways from your peers, and what
were the biggest challenges you faced
before receiving the diagnosis?
A. Michael McManmon: I realized I was
different when I started school. I noticed that I stood out, but didn't
really know how to participate. Socially, I didn't know how to respond
and had to just mimic what everyone was doing. I had poor perspective-
taking skills and couldn't infer what others were talking about, so
I mostly stayed quiet and didn't ask any questions or give any answers.
Secondly, I had executive functioning problems, academically
and in my employment. At college, I really had no effective systems
for note taking, writing papers or studying. I just got by, and didn't
know to ask questions or talk to professors. My organization was
poor, and I couldn't prioritize.
Thirdly, I didn't even know I had sensory issues or how they were
impacting me. I had meltdowns, and would become overwhelmed
with all the information in my head. I had no balance in approaching life,
so I was in a state of constant anxiety and fear.
Lastly, I had extreme cognitive rigidity and rule-bound
behavior. I wouldn't try anything new and was stuck in routines that
didn't allow me to socialize or try anything outside of my values.
Q. Polly Tommey: How has becoming aware of being on
the autism spectrum changed your life?
A. Michael McManmon: My relationships with others
around me have improved dramatically. While I always tried to be generous
and kind, I was really somewhat oblivious to others' feelings
and had a lack of understanding of solving problems. I now have children
who have a human being for a father instead of a "human doing."
I have applied all the curricula for our students to myself and worked
on each area. I can travel the world and navigate it well. I can work in
groups and form alliances. I can tolerate unfinished projects and manage
many projects at once.
Q. Polly Tommey: What advice do you have for others
who are diagnosed later in life?
A. Michael McManmon:My advice is to look at all the
areas of your diagnosis thoroughly.
The information you will learn from
a good diagnosis will set you on a
path of self-actualization. You can
change some of the basic interaction
patterns that separate you from a
great relationship, the job you want,
and a life of calmness and happiness.
Find a good mentor who will
challenge you and then listen to him
or her! Allow yourself to do and experience
all the areas that challenge
you. You have only so many years
on this planet, so be committed to
staying out of your comfort zone and
go for your dreams. Don't be afraid
to make mistakes. It is the only way
you'll progress, as it isn't easy to
change your isolating patterns and
need for safety and protection.
Q. Polly Tommey: Can you tell our readers what the College
Internship Program is and how the
program got started?
A. Michael McManmon: I founded the CIP in 1984, and
our main mission is to help students
build happy, productive and
independent lives. It has grown into
a program with a comprehensive
curriculum for teaching students
in every area of need, from social
thinking to banking and budgeting,
academics, careers, wellness and
life skills.
Over the past several years, CIP
has expanded from our flagship center
in Massachusetts to include programs
in Florida, Indiana, California
and New York. We serve young
adults age 18-26 with Asperger's
Syndrome, ADHD and other learning
differences. All of our students
have the opportunity to attend college
or pursue a career while they are
enrolled in CIP.
Q. Polly Tommey: You acknowledge in your book that
the level of intense support provided by
CIP and similar programs puts them
financially out of reach for many parents
of ASD kids who would like to pursue
higher education. What advice do you
have for these families?
A. Michael McManmon: I encourage them to be active in
working with state autism and other
associations to continue to put pressure
on legislatures and school districts
for quality programming for
our students. Parents need to thread
together the best possible solutions
for their son or daughter by finding
mentors and professionals in all the
important areas to work with them
on the critical curriculum areas
shared in the book. Letting go and
allowing their child to experience
what they need to outside of the
home also is critical.
Q. Polly Tommey: After graduating from a CIP program,
do your students keep in touch with you
to let you know how they're doing?
A. Michael McManmon: Yes-in fact, on my birthday recently,
by 9 a.m. I had received around
40 Facebook "Happy Birthdays" from
alumni from California to Nigeria!
We're also currently calling alumni
and their parents at all our Centers
to see how everyone is doing and
tracking the data from that. I started
by calling all of the original students
at our center in Melbourne, Florida
and it was a wonderful experience.
So many of them have finished their
degrees and are living independently.
Q. Polly Tommey: Many of the parents I speak with tell
me that anxiety is a huge issue for their
young adult ASD children. Do you have
any suggestions or strategies for helping
to reduce anxiety?
A. Michael McManmon: Yes, anxiety, depression, OCD
and other difficulties are commonly
co-morbid with ASD. It's a real
chicken-and-egg conundrum.
We've always had individual therapy
as part of our program-I'm a
psychologist myself-and we highly
recommend cognitive behavior
therapy (CBT). With CBT, therapists
can help those on the spectrum to
erode some of the illogical premises
and rigid thought patterns that keep
them from being able to integrate
with, be in partnership and alliance
with, and socialize with neurotypical
individuals.
Another very valuable tool which
is usually left out of the mix is wellness.
Having a personal wellness
plan with education regarding good
nutrition, a sleep diet, a sensory diet
and a fitness regimen, are vital to
keep us brainiacs from just imploding
or exploding over time. Finally,
most of us on the spectrum will not
socialize unless we have to, and that
leaves us isolated and frustrated. A
social group helps, and volunteering
and community service also help.
Q. Polly Tommey: Can you share with our readers your
plans for the future?
A. Michael McManmon: I plan to continue speaking and
writing, and have a new book in the
works entitled The Assets of Asperger's.
Regarding CIP, we'll continue
to expand the Visual and Performing
Arts at all of our centers. I also
plan to spend a lot of time with my
six children, twelve grandchildren,
great grandchild and my spouse and
friends. And I also will be flexible
enough to ditch the plans, be spontaneous,
and enjoy the people and
situations around me.
Find out more:
Made For Good Purpose
Dr. Michael McManmon, Ed.D., is the executive director of the College Internship Program, and the founder of CIP.
The program was founded in 1984 as a community-based alternative to institutions which served students with Learning Disabilities. CIP supplies a transitional apartment program for individuals to learn the skills necessary to live on their own. From the beginning, the program served as a psycho-educational alternative to traditional "medical model" facilities. See us on the web at:www.collegeinternshipprogram.com or call College Internship Program at 1-877-Know-CIP.
College Internship Program
www.cipworldwide.org
Jessica Kingsley
Publishers (www.jkp.com)