Written by: Leigha Rogers and Lisa Furman
Amity Transition Academy (ATA), a community and vocationally based program, was founded
by Patricia Fitzgerald with the mission to help prepare high school students with intellectual
disabilities to transition into future employment. The program collaborates with Albertus Magnus
College, providing classroom space and creating unique work opportunities for the students on
campus. ATA quickly caught the attention of the Master of Arts in Art Therapy & Counseling
(MAATC) program director Dr. Lisa Furman. The mission of the ATA inspired Dr. Furman to
foster a connection with Fitzgerald and introduce art therapy into programming by offering an
internship placement at the Amity Transition Academy.
Molly Jones, a MAATC student and former intern at Amity Transition Academy, says that her
time with the students at Amity contributed immensely to her professional development as an art
therapist. As an intern, Molly would spend one hour a week facilitating structured art directives
with a focus on strengthening socialization and problem-solving skills. As she became more
comfortable in her role and developed a relationship with the group, she transitioned to free art
making, allowing for a more individualized approach to art process exploration and expression.
The internship experience provided Molly an opportunity to integrate her classroom learning into
real life experience. Molly reflects that the most rewarding part of working with the students at
Amity was their unbridled enthusiasm and willingness to participate in the art making. Molly
credits her time at Amity as a largely contributing factor to her professional growth as an art
therapist, preparing her well for post-graduation.