Nearing The Finish Line

It has been three months since Marshall University President Stephen Kopp led freshmen and first year students on the annual walk to the convocation held at the Keith-Albee.

During the walk there is hope and optimism over the upcoming semester, and excitement about entering a new stage of life. There is little thought, however, about:

* Mid-term and final exams

* Cramped living space

* Project deadlines

* Social networking

* Sleepless nights spent in study

College semesters are a bit like marathons. The first few weeks of college, like the first few miles of a race, should be full of hopeful enthusiasm. And just like a long, hard race, there must be time near the end of a semester for pause and rejuvenation.

That's the best part of the Thanksgiving break!

Happy Thanksgiving from the College Support Program for Students with Asperger Syndrome. May your time with family and loved ones bring you happiness and peace.

And don't forget to rest!

ASA WV 2009 Conference

The 2009 Autism Society of America-West Virginia Chapter conference was held recently in Huntington, WV, just a few short block from campus. Several students enrolled in the college support program participated in a panel discussion on the topic of adults living with an autism spectrum diagnosis. The panel session received high marks from those in attendance.

Marshall student Jimmy Sanders provided the comic relief at the ASA WV banquet. Here's a small part of his very funny act:

Marco's Hangin' On By A Thread

This Marco pinata--for decorative purposes only and not for smashing, we've been told!-- arrived at our office doorstep on Monday.

Thanks to the Lynch family of Texas for their thoughtful surprise in sending the Marshall University mascot.

Pinata Marco is going to hang in our lounge, always reminding us of the importance that community plays in all our lives.

From High School To College

The transition from high school to college can be a significant challenge for any student, and particularly difficult for individuals living on the autism spectrum. Embedded below is a short video that illustrates the factors we at Marshall University believe to be important to a successful transition.

Wait...You Said Summer's Almost Over?!?

The Fall semester at Marshall University is about to start, and summer is almost over! Between now and August 24th, 2009, college students across the country will (a) squeeze in a few more hours with friends and family before returning to campus, (b) sleep in during the morning, because they know they can't do that as often during the semester, and (c) start packing up their stuff for the long trek back to the university.

Of course, that last one's done at the last minute, most time.

At the Penn State National Autism Conference, where I spoke on the topic of transition to college, I was pleased to meet and get to know Caitlin Baran. Caitlin was kind enough to sit through three hours of my discussion, and we were able to talk in more detail after.

Caitlin was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome in 1997. She has a bachelor's degree in psychology from Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in psychology from Shippensburg. She works to provide interventions to children with Mental Health and Autism Spectrum Disorders.

Considering her extensive experience in the transition to college, and that I sensed instantly that Caitlin was someone who desires to make a difference in the lives of others, I asked her to provide some tips on the topic of returning to college. She was kind enough to accept, and I'm grateful.

Here, in her own words, is Caitlin's advice:

As an individual with Asperger's Syndrome and a graduate of both graduate and undergraduate school, I thought it would be a wonderful idea to share tips on how to make the transition back to school a successful one. I know it isn't easy transitioning from summer to the start of the fall semester, however, with these tips the transition can be made easier.

My first tip deals with packing for school. It was always difficult to decide what to pack for school and what to leave behind at home. I found that packing was easier (a lot less stressful) when I made a list of what to pack. When I packed something I packed it with other like items. For example my cd's and dvd's together. That made it easier not only when packing to know what I had packed, but also when moving back to school as I would unpack all like items at once, placing them in the same location in my room. Also with making a list, it helped me to check items off the list once I got and packed the item so I knew that particular item was taken care of.

Remember to start packing early. The items you don't use on a daily basis should be packed before the items you use daily. Also it helps to designate a place in your house to collect the belongings you will be taking to school with you.

Another tip is to e-mail the professors you will be having in the upcoming semester before the semester starts to ask what text book will be used for the class. This way if you need books on tape you can make sure to order the book on tape ahead of time and have the book on tape before the start of the semester. Even if you don't use books on tape e-mailing professors before the start of the semester to ask what text book will be used for the class is still a good idea. By knowing what text book will be used for class ahead of time you can purchase the text book on half.com and save money, in addition to saving money it also saves you from standing in lines in an over crowded bookstore.

Best wishes for an excellent semester!

Thank you, Caitlin. We at Marshall University appreciate your insight and your dedication to the community.

College Support Programs Represented At ASA

One of the most enjoyable aspects of the Autism Society of America national conference is developing new relationships with colleagues who have similar interests.

At the 2009 ASA conference held in Chicago, (which also happened to be the 40th anniversary of the conference), I joined Jane Thierfeld Brown, Ed.D (below, left) from the University of Connecticut and Laura Klinger, Ph.D. (below, right), from the University of Alabama in speaking on the topic College Programs For Students On The Autism Spectrum.

It was our first opportunity to meet and discuss our respective programs, and an initial step toward working closely together in the future on behalf of all students with ASD.

Off To A Good Start

Davin White, an Education Reporter for the Charleston (WV) Gazette recently wrote a nice piece on the transition program Marshall University sponsors for high school students with ASD interested in attending college.

The piece, which is pasted in below, can be found at this link.


Davin White, Staff Writer
HUNTINGTON, W.Va.

This summer, Justin Depamphilis and Jay Murphy, both 17, are getting an early jump on their college careers at Marshall University.

The soon-to-be high school seniors are in the middle of a five-week program where they'll take a class, sleep in the dorms, eat meals in the cafeteria and generally get a feel for the college lifestyle.

Housed within Marshall's West Virginia Autism Training Center, the program is designed to help high school students with Asperger's syndrome -- who often have difficulty with organization, focus and social skills -- adjust to life on a college campus.

"I made a couple of friends around here ... my first couple of days," Depamphilis said. The New Jersey native first heard about Marshall from the film, "We Are Marshall."

Marc Ellison, coordinator for the Autism Training Center and the College Program for Students with Asperger's Syndrome, said students are eligible for the summer program after their junior year in high school.

"These guys are really devoting a whole chunk of their summer to really getting a sense of what college is going to be like for them," Ellison said.

Asperger's syndrome "creates some real challenges in terms of anticipating what to expect, some challenges with cause and effect, some issues of social awareness and understanding," Ellison said. "So as often as possible, a very realistic, very practical experience is really helpful, and that's what we're trying to create."

Asperger's syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder. Children with Asperger's syndrome often show obsessive interest in a single object or topic to the exclusion of any other, according to the National Institutes of Health. Repetitive or obsessive routines are also a common trait. People with Asperger's syndrome are often unable to successfully interact with peers or understand common social cues such as sarcastic comments.

For instance, another boy in the high school program was supposed to meet someone at the Autism Training Center's lounge at 11:45 a.m. one day. The person showed up at 11:48 p.m. and the boy had already left.

"They are creatures of habit," said Rebecca Hansen, assistant coordinator of the College Program for Students with Asperger's Syndrome. "They really like routine.

"[The program] just kind of gives them this new level of comfort," she said.

The high school summer program is a microcosm of the Autism Training Center's larger program, which will assist 32 students at Marshall this fall.

The Asperger's program is not special education, Ellison and Hansen said. It's designed to teach social and life skills while the students try to obtain their degrees.

In a structured high school setting, students often rush from class to class. In college, downtime is much more common, and it can be difficult for a student with Asperger's syndrome to adjust to both the freedom and routine changes, Ellison said.

"Around here we have lots of times to relax, get our studies done," Depamphilis said.

Ellison knows of one student who watches hours of You Tube videos some nights, and might forget to study.

Depamphilis said some noises, such as popping bubble gum, might affect his focus in the classroom. Video games can become a distraction for Murphy.

Murphy, from Charlotte, N.C., described himself as a slow reader. He visits the autism training center's lounge to read, and took his flash cards back to the dorm once or twice. "The study hall is nice to have," he said.

One Marshall student with Asperger's syndrome said this type of program would have helped him with his adjustment to college a couple of years ago.

Jack Goodman, a junior math and physics major at Marshall, struggled greatly with social skills at high school in Maryland, but believed things would get better when he went off to Harvard University.

"I really bit off more than I could chew academically," he said. For Goodman, one math class alone begged more than 50 hours of work a week.

Still, his struggle to fit in socially led to depression and contributed to his academic troubles.

"I was really miserable. I didn't really enjoy myself at parties," he said. "I couldn't really figure out how to interact with people. I could never get a date."

At Harvard, "everybody" is a geek, he said. However, the geeks with social skills were still too narrow-minded to accept into their ranks the really socially awkward guys, he said.

Once, on the dance floor at a party, he broke out into a cold sweat and just froze. He couldn't emulate the social skills of the popular guys at Harvard, because it didn't come naturally to him.

"I think for a lot of people with Asperger's syndrome -- guys at least -- girls are a huge issue," he said. "Even for normal guys, girls are perplexing."

Ellison said it's difficult for some people with Asperger's to tell the difference between flirting and just being friendly.

"Because I was so awkward they would always think I was a creep, which is a big issue with guys with Asperger's syndrome ... often because we don't know how to express ourselves in what's considered a socially accepted manner," Goodman said.

Goodman said he's "doing a lot better now," and he's been dating his girlfriend for eight months.

"The biggest advantage of a program like this is to allow people with Asperger's to see other people with Asperger's," Goodman said. "By increasing your awareness of what Asperger's behaviors are, you can kind of increase your self awareness and stop yourself from doing things that might be considered creepy or awkward.

"If I had something like this ... I wouldn't have had 90 percent of the problems I ended up having in my college years," Goodman said. "People with Asperger's don't learn life skills the same way other people do. We have to learn them like we're studying a subject in school."

Goodman also struggled with organization, which helped to compound his troubles, he said. In an honors physics class, he usually worked alone while others teamed up in study groups of three or four.

"I just had trouble forming the social network among my classmates ... in order to be in the study groups," he said.

@tag:Reach Davin White at davinwh...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1254.

Transitions

As almost anyone honest enough to admit it will confirm, the transition from high school to college can be difficult. The lifestyle change--the change in pace, the sudden independence, the unexpected free time one didn't have during the highly structured high school years--can make an otherwise exciting time of life difficult for a young adult.

Add to that dynamic the challenges most students with Asperger Syndrome face with academic organization and social networking, and the freshman year can be even more difficult.

We at Marshall University recognize the additional support needs for incoming freshmen diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders, and have created a new professional position to provide that support. Beginning today, Kerrie Harris will serve as the Transition Specialist for our College Support Program. This full-time position will focus increased efforts on incoming students, and Kerrie will lead a group of graduate assistants devoted to supporting freshmen and transfer students during their first year at the university.


A recent Master's level graduate from Marshall University's Counseling program, Kerrie also worked for several semesters as a graduate assistant for the ATC's College Program.


She brings tremendous experience and professional talents to the unique position of Transition Specialist. Kerrie is an organizer, and she does it in a highly person-centered manner.

We welcome Kerrie as she begins her own transition!

Professors Who Make A Difference: Dr. Kateryna Schray

I knew immediately that I was going to like Dr. Kateryna Schray.

The opening week of classes is, generally, a busy period filled with uncertainty and mild confusion. The Spring 2009 semester was no different; students were fighting January's cold and bitter elements to make it to class, while professors were struggling to match names to the new students occupying chairs in the classroom.

The week can be something of a blur.

It was during that first week that Dr. Schray telephoned our office, and asked to talk in more detail about a student she would be teaching in her course on Chaucer. The student (called "Jay" here) recently attended his first class with Dr. Schray, and the professor had questions about how best to provide him instruction. After talking briefly by telephone, Dr. Schray asked to meet with us in person for more detail. We offered to meet her in her office. Instead, she replied: "I'll come to you."

And she did.

She made the trip across campus and talked with us ( "us" meaning Jay as well) for 90 minutes about several topics: Jay's interest in history and culture, Dr. Schray's Ukrainian-Latvian heritage, Asperger's Disorder, Chaucer, the class structure and requirements, etc. The conversation was magical, and a bond was formed between Jay and Dr. Schray that was obvious to all in the room.

"I'll come to you."

Indeed.



In her own words, Dr. Schray speaks of her experience:

"Walking into the classroom is by far the most exciting part of my workday. I am deeply grateful for my students, and very proud of their achievements. I grew up in Philadelphia, PA, in a Ukrainian-speaking household (my heritage is Ukrainian-Latvian). I received my BA in German from La Salle University in 1987, MA in English from Georgetown University in 1989, and Ph.D. in English from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1997. I joined Marshall’s faculty in 1996 and teach courses in medieval literature and in the Honors program; I also serve as a Writing Mentor for the Yeager program. I genuinely look forward to every class session and cannot imagine a more rewarding career. I hope that I will never take my calling for granted. My husband Jim and I have four wonderful children: Tesia (age 8), Perin (age 7), Blaise (age 5) and Simeon (age 3).

My teaching philosophy is embarrassingly simple: provide students with a supportive learning environment, identify and build on their strengths, and make each person an active participant in his/her own education. All of us share a natural desire to learn, whether we are toddlers examining a remote control or astronauts exploring space. The success of my courses depends directly on each student recognizing that he/she is an indispensable part of every class session. In a very real sense, we’re all in this together. If I ever doubted that, it was reaffirmed for me this semester in my Chaucer class, a course I have taught many times.

On the first day of class, my student Jay arrived quite noisily with a large pilot case and a second piece of luggage crammed full of papers and immediately announced himself to the class. My first thought was that he was running late and hadn’t quite gotten a chance to move into his dorm yet, but the volley of questions and comments that followed quickly put that theory to rest. I was wholly unprepared for anything but the routine first day of Chaucer class and it took me about 10 minutes to fully realize that Jay’s persistent questions weren’t intended to heckle me or derail the class plan. This first day is generally a fun session with me offering what I think is an entertaining overview of Chaucer’s life and a cursory introduction into the medieval worldview. Instead, I felt like I was treading water for 75 minutes, thinking on my feet, frantically trying to balance the needs of everyone in the class. I hadn’t worked so hard in a classroom . . . ever. Class-time is usually the payoff for a whole lot of prep and is easily the best part of my workday. Needless to say, Jay, the rest of the class, and I all made it through that first day, and it took me several weeks to recognize the various emotions I had that day as a college professor. To make it more interesting, I found out shortly after the semester began that I was a finalist for Marshall’s Reynolds Teaching Award and that my Chaucer class would be observed by a selection committee of twelve people from across the campus.

Oddly enough, Jay could not have arrived in my classroom at a better time: I’m in a professionally transitional phase right now. I joined Marshall’s faculty as a single 30-year-old out of grad school; today I’ve been married eleven years and have four young children. “Hip” went from being an adjective to describe my teaching to a noun identifying where it hurts. And now, as I have gotten settled in my ways and finally think I know what I’m doing, along comes someone who pretty much forces me to question my course goals, reassess my pedagogical strategies, and revisit successful assignments. Those first few days of the semester, I could not take anything for granted. And, I’m happy to say, it made me a better teacher.

The folks at Marshall’s Autism Training Center were immediately helpful, forwarding links to on-line videos that helped me begin to understand what Asperger Syndrome was, putting me in touch with Jay’s academic mentor, and setting up a meeting time as soon as our schedules allowed. In the meantime I had a great advantage: a friend of mine, a woman I love and greatly admire, has a young son with Autism – she is quite emphatic that he has Autism as opposed to he is autistic – and it was easy for me to think of Jay as that sweet little kid 15 years down the line. Beyond that, my goal is to respond to every student with joy, never apprehension. My first meeting with Jay and the Autism support team was one of the most productive conversations I’ve ever had, yet for one of the few times in my teaching career I felt entirely clueless and vulnerable. In short, what looked like a major challenge on the first day of class turned out to be an invitation to become a better teacher and hopefully a better person, an invitation to become good at something new.

While this blog is generously titled “Professors Who Make a Difference,” my experience this past spring reminds me that our students make the real difference, both the students who surprise us with challenges and the students who help us rise to meet those challenges. Jay gave my students something that I couldn’t: a chance to walk on common ground rather than worry about the differences. The best moment of class for me was probably one of Jay’s worst, but here it is: Jay had gotten caught in the rain earlier in the semester and was anxious about the weather. He kept asking if he could leave because he was afraid it might rain. I glanced out the window: the sky looked clear, in fact it was beautiful day. A few minutes later Jay crossed the room to see if clouds were gathering. And then something nice happened. Since Jay was only comfortable in his usual seat by the door, one of his classmates on the window side of the room gently offered to let him know if it looked like the weather might change. After some further pacing, another student reassured him that rain wasn’t in the day’s forecast. A third promised him a ride to his dorm if, in fact, it did start raining. All of these things were said sincerely and matter-of-fact, interwoven into our discussion of Chaucer’s “Clerk’s Tale,” a story about a local ruler who abuses his power over the disenfranchised. After class I sent a quick email thanking one of the students who reassured Jay and her response was simple and beautiful: “I know it's never a good feeling when you think that you might get caught in a storm.” Her response is beautiful because it doesn’t at all talk about Jay as someone who is different, but in fact the opposite: she identifies with his fears and responds with kindness. Some form of commonality occurred on a weekly basis: one student emailed me an answer to an obscure question Jay asked so that I could forward it to him (and believe me, Jay can come up with some pretty obscure questions); another student helped Jay gather up his papers when one of his suitcases spilled.

Spring 2009 has been an amazing semester, one of the most challenging and yet easily one of the best of my teaching career. Looking back, in a very real sense it was a perfect class, built around Geoffrey Chaucer’s famous fourteenth-century work The Canterbury Tales. After all, what is the Canterbury Tales but a collection of stories told by diverse and sundry folks who come together for a common purpose and in the process reveal their passions, strengths, idiosyncrasies, obsessions, and imperfections? I could not have asked for a better class or a better semester."

As one might expect, Dr. Schray did indeed win the Reynolds Award for Outstanding Teaching at Marshall University. Read more about her at this link.

Huntington, WV Walk For Autism 2009

Each year, the Huntington Area Autism Society (HAAS), Autism Services Center (ASC) and the WV Autism Training Center (ATC) at Marshall University combine efforts to host a Walk For Autism.

Some photos from the event held Saturday at Ritter Park:

Below: Each year interest and participation grows, and 2009 was no exception. More than 500 people participated in the event, which also included biking and running categories.



Below: Elaine Harvey, President of HAAS and former board member of the national Autism Society of America greets the crowd, along with Tim Irr from WSAZ (left) and regional radio legend JB Miller.

Elaine was nominated for, and won, the Herald-Dispatch 2008 Volunteer of The Year Award for her work on behalf of the autism community.

Below: Ruth Sullivan, founding member and the first elected President of the Autism Society of America inspired the crowd before the walk.

The parent of an individual with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and a professional in the field, the pioneering work carried out by Ruth during the past 45 years played a significant role in the development of many of the services available nationwide today.

Below: Barbara Cottrill, Executive Director of the WV ATC, talking to a Walk participant before lining up for the 3.1 mile trek.

Barbara's work at the Autism Training Center has significantly improved educational services available to children with an ASD in West Virginia, and the Family Focus PBS model through which the ATC works is a national model for best practice methods. Barbara is currently a Co-Chair for the Autism Society of America's Panel of Professional Advisors.

Below: ASC Executive Director Mike Grady, with his grandson Grady. The Autism Services Center recently celebrated it's 30th year of service delivery in West Virginia.

In addition to specializing in service delivery to individuals with ASD, the Autism Services Center provides case management and direct services of the highest quality to hundreds of individuals diagnosed with various developmental disabilities living in the southwest region of the state.


Below: The ATC's College Program was well represented. Justin Kaunitz and Keshia Peterson stopped for a photo just prior to the finish line.

Below: Some folks just enjoy having their picture taken, even if they are sweaty!

Jason Deusenberry (left), an employee of Autism Services Center and soon-to-be graduate of Marshall University's Counseling program, with Marc Ellison at the finish line of the 3 mile hike.