Freshman to Senior Year

First-year LIFE students are encouraged to live on campus in freshman housing, however, they may choose to live at home and commute to campus. A residential mentor is available to provide direct support and instruction to students living on campus. After freshman year, students will have opportunities to reside on campus in a typical residence hall or in apartment-style housing. In the apartment setting, students are exposed to meal planning, grocery shopping, appropriate food storage and handling, safety, cooking, cleaning, and apartment maintenance. Students are encouraged to implement the budgeting and money management skills they are learning in small group instruction to accomplish tasks of independent living. Residential instruction has been developed to provide each student with progression to the highest level of independence possible.

All LIFE students receive academic and social support through a structured mentoring/tutoring program. LIFE students may participate in most campus activities, groups, or events that are open to other non-degree seeking students on campus. Participation in a wide variety of extracurricular activities is required; social mentors assist students in identifying activities and groups that match their interests and often accompany them to events. Because LIFE students are non-degree-seeking, they are ineligible to participate in NCAA sanctioned varsity athletics.

Daily living skills, self-determination, and interpersonal skills are enhanced through classroom instruction, daily engagement in campus life, activities, and social interactions, and through experiential learning in their residence halls. Assessment scores are used to determine students’ current level of knowledge and to design instruction focusing on individual student goals. Students also receive one-on-one or small group instruction in reading, consumer math, and health advocacy.

The LIFE program offers a Career Curriculum designed to help individuals master the work readiness skills they need to be successful in a changing workplace. Students receive classroom instruction along with real-life experience through volunteer, paid, and unpaid internship opportunities.

Seniors in the LIFE Program have the opportunity to participate in full-time internships through our partnership with Project SEARCH. The Project SEARCH Transition-to-Work Program is a unique, business-led, one-year employment preparation program that takes place entirely at the workplace. Total workplace immersion facilitates a seamless combination of classroom instruction, career exploration, and hands-on training through worksite rotations. The program culminates in individualized job development.

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LIFE Program
Coastal Carolina University
Prince Building 123
100 Tom Trout Drive
P.O. Box 261954
Conway, SC 29528-6054

Phone: 843-349-2665