FINDING SUCCESS
WITH AUTISM
At the direction of President Richey , the college started a new program for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder to give them the tools to successfully transition to college .
• The program , called Navigators to Success , is the first of its kind in the 28-member Florida College System , making EFSC a leader in this area
• “ The population of students with ASD is growing fast , and it ’ s critical that colleges prepare to help them . They have the potential for success but often hit barriers . Our program can help break those barriers down ,” said Dr . Barbara Kennedy , EFSC ’ s Dean of Students .
• Nationally , 80 percent of students with ASD have a GPA of 3.0 or higher with 3.7 the average but research suggests that only 39 percent of college students with ASD graduate
• EFSC addressed that with a four-week summer session that is expected to be offered annually
• EFSC worked closely with Brevard Public Schools to sign-up high school students who want to attend college but find the collegiate atmosphere difficult
During the course , the following topics were covered :
• Social Excellence to explore student life and campus community engagement
• Adaptation & Regulation to gain skills for seeking support and coping in college
• Time Management & Goal Setting to gain strategies for successful college planning and structure
• Career Planning to discover and expand on career interests
• Classroom & Campus Exploration to give the students a feel for academic life
Several lessons were learned :
• Students with ASD :
• Thrive when given the opportunity and a safe , judgement free environment
• Are multi-talented and eager to share their strengths with those who appreciate them
• Struggle communicating with others but are willing to take chances
• Are inspired by knowing that others struggle with the same challenges and have overcome barriers to success
• Want to be successful and make a difference but may need support and encouragement along the way .
• These are testimonials from parents after their children had been participating for just a few days :
• “ I have never seen my son so excited about coming to a program . He even is waking up early to get ready !”
• “ My son called me and told me he did a presentation in front of class . He was so proud of himself !”
• “ My daughter has been smiling ever since I dropped her off on Monday morning . You are doing great work !”
• “ EFSC has a strong reputation for helping students with all kinds of disabilities attend college , graduate and go on to successful careers . This program is another important part of that commitment ,” said Kennedy .
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