Exciting MICC Program Updates Coming in 2027

Dear MICC Community,

As MICC celebrates our 30th anniversary, we want to thank you for your partnership with MICC over those years. We believe our participants and families are integral to the work we do, and how we do it.

Over the past year, MICC has been reviewing our areas of strength and weakness and listening to the suggestions and input we have gathered from our participants, families, and employment partners. In the spirit of continuous improvement of our program and service offerings, we are excited to share our newest program updates.

MICC is evolving to better reflect the different paths people take toward independence, connection, and purpose. That means continuing to strengthen what works while transforming our programs to offer greater flexibility, more individualized pathways, and opportunities that meet participants at different stages of their lives.

Many paths, one community

For many years, MICC has been best known for our College program, and it remains an important part of who we are. But we also know that College is not always the right starting point—or the right path—for everyone. As MICC evolves, we are creating more ways for people to access our programs, build skills, and become part of the MICC community based on their individual goals and where they are in life.

For some, that may mean College. For others, it may mean starting with Career Confidence, Connect, Summer program, or another MICC offering and continuing along a pathway that makes sense for them. There is no single way into MICC and no one path everyone is expected to follow. The goal is to help each person find the opportunities and supports that fit where they are today and where they want to go next.

Our programs

Here is a quick look at everything MICC offers right now. Every program shares the same goal: build real skills for a more independent life.

College Program

• Ages 18–30. A progression-based program in independent living, careers, and social and emotional skills.
• Two ways to engage: apartment living in MICC’s apartments, or as a commuter living independently or at home or nearby.
• New participants can enter twice per year: July or January.

Career Confidence

• Ages 18+. Meets one day a week for 10 weeks.
• You leave with a real employment portfolio: resume, cover letter, elevator pitch, and interview practice, plus go on two worksite tours.
• New sessions start four times a year: October, January, April, and July.

Connect

• Ages 18+. A small group that builds friendship and communication skills, plus weekly one-on-one coaching.
• Runs in two 10-week sessions. New sessions start October, January, April, and July.
• New starting January 2027: Families can join a family education session alongside Connect, so you are learning the same strategies and can support your participant in applying the skills learned.
• New starting this fall: Participants who successfully complete the Connect program will have the opportunity to join the Community program.

Summer Program

• A one-week “test drive” of MICC, practicing independent living, job exploration, and social skills.
• Day option: ages 15–18, Monday–Thursday.
• Overnight option: ages 18–30, Monday–Friday, stay on campus.

Community Program

• Our life-long program for adults who have completed the College program or Connect sessions, offering ongoing independent living support, social engagement, and career services.

Bingo Nights

• A fun, casual, monthly night open to the whole public, a low-pressure way to meet the MICC community.

What’s changing in the College Program

The College program is moving from a fixed, two-semester calendar to a year-round model with four quarters, and from a time-based pace to a progression-based one: participants move forward when they have acquired the necessary skills for the next level of coursework. The full change begins July 12, 2027.

Current College program participants and families received a separate, detailed letter with the full timeline, what to expect, and how to ask questions. If you would like a copy, just reach out.

A note from our leadership

None of this growth happened on its own. It came from you: from survey feedback, from conversations at family weekends, from staff bringing us what they were hearing in participant and family meetings. We are so grateful for that partnership, and we do not take it lightly.

We recognize that change in a program as important as this one deserves to be handled with care. This redesign is the result of over a year of thoughtful work: reviewing our core competencies, listening to participants and families, studying how our model compares to current best practices, and asking honestly where we could better serve our mission.

In my ten years at MICC, one thing has stayed constant: everyone learns at their own pace. Some skills come quickly; others take more time to master. This redesign is our commitment to meeting participants where they are.

Thank you for being part of this community, and for trusting us with something as important as your, or your participant’s, next chapter.

With gratitude and excitement for what is ahead,