On a cool October morning at the Flats at College Park, three Main Street members are inside one of their apartments practicing kitchen safety. “What are some safe stove tips?” asks community coach Melissa Minnifield, who works with the young men on Saturdays as part of Main Street’s new Plus One Year program. “When you see the red light that means it’s still hot,” Daniel responds. In past sessions, the group has discussed making a grocery list, meal preparation, getting help with maintenance issues and more.
Daniel, Matthew and Jamie recently moved into the Flats, a beautiful, new, affordable 317-unit apartment building just one mile from the University of Maryland campus. They are all alumni of TerpsEXCEED, UMD’s 2-year non-degree inclusive postsecondary certificate program. In the summer of 2025, with support from the Terrapin Development Company, Main Street launched the new Plus One Year program in partnership with TerpsEXCEED. Alumni who qualify for an apartment can move to the Flats and participate in programs to facilitate their transition to life off campus, and also access programs at Main Street in Rockville, virtually or in person. Jamie came to Main Street for karaoke night. “I sang an Elvis song,” he says. Matthew came for bingo.
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“They always come in with a great energy,” says coach Melissa. “Last time I taught, we finished making sandwiches and it was like, that was a great experience. They genuinely are excited to learn skills, be with each other, and I think they just really enjoy the social aspect of things.”
The three Plus One members also enjoy weekly office hours with a community coach, where they’re encouraged to talk about what’s happening in their day or week and to plan for the week ahead. They also have extra support from UMD peer mentors, giving them a continued connection to the university.
Before Matthew’s mom, Jeninne Stewart, learned about the Plus One Year at the Flats, she thought he’d be living at home after TerpsEXCEED. Now he’s on his own, in his own apartment, advocating for himself. “We still support him, but he’s there, independently, getting up, getting himself ready, getting his breakfast, his lunch prepared. It’s pretty amazing for us to see,” says Jeninne. “He’s getting to experience life in a way that I didn’t know was necessarily possible, and I think it will continue to push him to be more and more independent, which is what we always have hoped for, what most of us hope for.”
For more details, visit the webpage for the Plus One Year for TerpsEXCEED Alumni.
