菠萝视频app

A longtime benefactor of the Autism Initiative at 菠萝视频app, the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust, has awarded AIM its largest grant yet鈥�$281,268鈥攖o support the continued growth of this pioneering program for students on the autism spectrum.听

鈥淲e are indebted to the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust for its ongoing support,鈥� said 菠萝视频app President Kathleen A. Getz, Ph.D. 鈥淎IM would not be the international success and model that it is without the charity鈥檚 commitment to doing what we鈥檝e aspired to do for nearly 100 years鈥攕erve the underserved, in this case, young people on the spectrum.鈥澨�

Nearly half of the Trees award is earmarked for specialized training for AIM staff designed to augment individualized programming for students, including PEERs Social Skills Training, NACE Professional Coaching, and Strong Interest Certification Training, among other wellness and behavioral training programs. The remaining half of the grant is reserved for student training in proficiencies necessary to become self-sufficient, among them life skills like cooking and driving.

The grant equips staff to provide the most appropriate guidance and training to students and their families, while also lending their expertise in recruiting and onboarding to businesses interested in hiring neurodiverse employees.听

Since its founding in 2008, AIM has grown from a program of four students to more than 60 with an enviable success record that has made it a model for colleges and universities across the country. Originally, the program鈥檚 goal was to enable students on the spectrum to become independent and productive by earning their college degrees. That success, while laudable, was met with disappointment when students could not get the jobs for which they had been trained.听

So, AIM expanded its programming to include a career component through which it forged numerous partnerships with industry, among them Wells Fargo, The MITRE Corp., PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Erie Insurance, all intended to break down stereotypes, open doors for AIM students, and build awareness about the abilities of people with high-functioning autism. It also provided resources for students, including vocational skills development, job shadowing, and assistance in obtaining internships and job interviews.

That, too, has achieved considerable success. At last count, 60 percent of AIM graduates had found productive employment; the national average for autistic Americans with university diplomas is 25 percent.

In 2022, AIM was integrated into the university鈥檚 new Brad McGarry Center for Neurodiversity with an expanded agenda designed to meet the needs of this growing demographic. The center鈥檚 new executive director, Ryan Palm, also expressed his gratitude, saying, 鈥淎s we continue to expand our programming, the generosity of the Edith L. Trees Charitable Trust will be invaluable.鈥�

FILE PHOTO: As part of AIM鈥檚 career readiness programming, students enjoy dinner in New York City with executives of Wells Fargo.听
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