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CIP at a Glance

We’re the College Internship Program (CIP) and we’ve been helping young adults on the autism spectrum and with learning differences find success in college, employment, and independent living since 1984

About CIP

The College Internship Program (CIP) is a private young adult transition program for individuals 18-26 with autism, ADHD, and other learning differences offering comprehensive and specialized services. Our Center’s are conveniently located across the United States.

CIP’s Full-Year and Two-Week Summer programs uniquely address the needs of adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism, ADHD, and other learning differences by providing a comprehensive curriculum, expert staffing, and a structured weekly schedule. 

We believe that a learning disability is a learning difference, and our expert staff understand and meet our young adults enrolled in the program where they are at.

Our programs focus on the generalization of specialized skills specifically for autism and learning differences. CIP students live with a clopse-knit community of peers within a supported apartment living setting and fully access the community around them. Each student’s unique needs are met individually as they prepare for success in independent living, college, and employment.

CIP is the result of strategies we have developed over 39 years working with hundreds of young people who lerarn differently and have exceptionalities, helping develop the self-knowledge and skills to live happy and productive lives.

Our vision at CIP is to challenge the norms of what people with learning differences can achieve.

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Specialized Transition Programs​​​

CIP is one of the most comprehensive transition programs in the world helping unique young adults with special needs find success in college, employment, and independent living. We offer Full-Year and two-week Summer Program options at several locations across the US for adolescents and young adults with high-functioning autism, ADHD, and other learning differences.

Our programs have been specially designed to help these talented and unique young people learn independent living skills, social skills, attend college, and gain employment experience; in order to take their rightful place as citizen’s of the world.

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Comprehensive Transition Services​​

CIP’s services and supports comprehensively address most major areas of neurodivergent young adult’s transition from adolescence to adulthood. Each student’s CIP program and related services are individually based on their needs, interests, and abilities. Our services and staff meet each student where they are as they progress through the program.

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Team-Based Approach

CIP’s interdisciplinary staffing model brings many perspectives and practices from various highly qualified staff members and departments together into one student-centered program experience.

Our team members come from a diverse background of psychology, counseling, teaching, administration, and related human service fields. Many have a personal connection to working with young adults on the autism spectrum or with learning differences and all share a passion for helping CIP students find success as they transition into adulthood.

CIP Bloomington University Students Partner With CIP Bloomington

History & Principles

Originally founded in the Berkshire’s of Western Massachusetts in 1984, CIP first served as a innovative community-based alternative to institutions for young adults with learning differences. The program was founded by Dr. Michael McManmon, psychologist and educator, to supply a transitional apartment program for individuals to learn the skills necessary to live independently.

Our founder, Dr. Michael McManmon, was profoundly influenced by the belief that young adults with autism learning differences must live, learn, and work in environments which duplicate normal, real-life conditions. With a late diagnosis of autism himself, Dr. McManmon has brought a unique inside perspective to our program’s curriculum and approach. With assistance from our Professional Advisory Board Members, CIP has developed one of the most specialized and comprehensive year-round transition programs in the world.

CIP Timeline

1984
CIP Berkshire
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Founding of CIP Berkshire

Our CIP Berkshire Center opens in Lee, Massachusetts

2004
CIP Brevard
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Opening of CIP Brevard

Our CIP Brevard Center opens in Melbourne, Florida

2006
CIP Bloomington
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Opening of CIP Bloomington

Our CIP Bloomington Center opens in downtown Bloomington, Indiana

2007
CIP Berkeley
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Opening of CIP Berkeley

Our CIP Berkeley Center Opens in downtown Berkeley, California

2009
Berkeley, CA
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Start of Summer@CIP

Our two-week summer program for high school students launches at UC Berkeley in Berkeley, CA

2010
Nationally
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Expansion of Summer@CIP

Summer@CIP program for high school age students expands to Florida, Indiana, and Massachusetts

2011
Long Beach, CA
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Opening of CIP Long Beach

Opening of the CIP Long Beach Center in California

2011
Lee, Massachusetts
Spectrum Playhouse
Opening of Good Purpose Gallery & Spectrum Playhouse

Opening of the Good Purpose Gallery & Spectrum Playhouse

2020
Lee, Massachusetts
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35th Anniversary

CIP celebrated our 35 Years of Services - since 1984 - and Founder, Dr. Michael McManmon's 40 Years of Service

2020
Worldwide
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Start of SummerSessions@CIP Online

A two-week virtual program for high school age students with learning differences

2021
CIP Long Beach
Go Beach CIP
10th Anniversary

CIP Long Beach in California's 10-Year Anniversary!

Founder’s Welcome

I am the founder of the College Internship Program (CIP), a program designed to help young people with autism, ADHD, and learning differences make successful transitions from adolescence to young adulthood. CIP gives young adults the tools to become productive members of society.

Admissions Questions?

Contact our National Admissions Office at +1 (877) 566-9247, email us at admissions@cipworldwide.org, or complete our Online Request Form.
CIP Long Beach