Supporting Neurodivergent Students in Classrooms and into the Workplace

This panel will present a number of different perspectives and programs that support neurodivergent students in their coursework and in the workplace. Like many students transitioning to college, neurodivergent students lose many of their prior scaffolds and supports. Unlike neurotypical students, they often have difficulty self-advocating to acquire the help that they need to succeed. They have lower completion rates for courses and degrees and are more likely to take time off in the middle of their degree program. Supporting these students in our classrooms and degree programs requires training faculty on the challenges they experience and developing curriculum and supports that afford better access. In addition to in-classroom support, support is needed to prepare students to enter the workforce and help them stay employed. While supporting students and faculty is important, one of the other goals of programs like these is to help destigmatize neurodiverse people, help neurotypical people better understand their neurodivergent colleagues, and encourage everyone to better integrate the neurodiverse into their organizations and activities.