Dan Marino Foundation Starting College for Special Needs Students

The Dan Marino Foundation, a fixture in South Florida since 1992, has recently announced plans to start a college for those with autism and other special needs. According to a Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel article published last month, the school will be the first-of-its-kind in Florida and assist those with autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy and other related disorders.

With building space already purchased in downtown Fort Lauderdale, The Dan Marino Foundation Florida Vocational College will cater to students, ages 18 to 28, and open its doors in the fall of 2013.

As a resident of South Florida, this is certainly heartening news and will be a great addition to the community. The Dan Marino Foundation has maintained a great reputation over the years and was launched shortly after Marino’s son was diagnosed with autism at 2-years-old. The Dan Marino Center, which is part of the larger Foundation, holds special significance to me personally — it’s where my son was first diagnosed with autism back in 2005.

As for Marino’s son, he’s since graduated from college himself and is currently working as a DJ in Florida. Despite having many challenges at an early age, he’s been able to far exceed expectations that were made for him at the time of his diagnosis nearly twenty years ago.

For more info about the new school, visit https://www.marinocampus.org .