In May 2019, NYU Connections completed its third year coordinating a program for ASD undergraduate and graduate students at NYU. The program, a collaboration between NYU Steinhardt, the NYU ASD Nest Support Program and the Moses Center for Students with Disabilities, is free and available to any ASD-identifying NYU student. The program has three basic parts: (1) weekly individual meetings with disability specialists from the Moses Center, (2) frequent group meetings rotating between Tandon and Washington Square campuses and (3) outreach to the entire NYU community on issues related to neurodiversity and student success.
NYU Connections worked with DIA to secure funding from the Steinhardt Diversity Innovation Grant program, with additional support from the Office of Global Inclusion, Diversity and Strategic Innovation (GIDI), to enrich outreach to the NYU community in order to develop greater awareness about ASD. Our first initiative, launched Spring 2019, is the production of a series of short films written and directed by NYU Connections students. These films will focus on their personal experiences navigating NYU with autism, and what they would like other members of the NYU community to know about their experiences. The first film is planned to be completed and ready for viewing in Fall 2019.
NYU Connections has also benefited from a competitive grant secured by the Moses Center, which will be used to staff a two-year position dedicated to servicing the ASD-pipeline program, expanding facilities to meet the expected increasing demand in the coming years for support for ASD students. In the first year (AY2017-18), approximately sixteen students participated, increasing to thirty-five in AY2018-19. Since this was accomplished without marketing or a website presence, increasing visibility is anticipated as NYU Connections furthers its publicity efforts.
The next goal for NYU Connections is to secure funding for a full-time Program Director, who will have two main roles: First, to manage the existing workload and established collaborative relationships with the Moses Center and GIDI, and second, to further advocate for resources and on-campus support for neurodiversity.