NSU Newsroom
SharkBytes
Horizons
This version of NSU News has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of NSU News, visit news.nova.edu.
This version of SharkBytes has been archived as of February 28, 2019. To search through archived articles, visit nova.edu/search. To access the new version of SharkBytes, visit sharkbytes.nova.edu.
Nova Southeastern University Receives Scholarship From Autism Speaks to Help College Students with Autism
FORT LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla.– January 29, 2014 –
Right now, there are students across America who believe that attending college is something beyond their grasp. These students, who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD,) might think that the assistance they’ve received through high school ends with their graduation.
But that doesn’t have to be the case at all.
Nova Southeastern University is proud to announce that it has been selected as a scholarship recipient for the first-ever Autism Speaks Brian & Patricia Kelly Postsecondary Scholarship. This scholarship was created to help defray the costs of post-secondary education for students with ASD, and NSU is one of 11 award winners, receiving $25,000.
The scholarship will go toward NSU’s Access Plus Program, which provides intensive support to NSU students with ASD. The program was designed to help supplement existing supports via the American’s with Disabilities Act and NSU’s Office of Student Disability Services (ODS) and provide assistance for those students who may have needs that exceed these resources.
Nova Southeastern University is home to 27,000 students from across the United States and around the globe. Given that the most recent statistics show that 1 in 88 children will be identified with ASD, the need to provide assistance past adolescence is clear.
“This scholarship will help with the additional cost of the Access Plus Program for students and will help them to enjoy a full, rich college experience,” said Susanne Marshall, Ph.D., senior associate dean, Division of Applied Interdisciplinary Studies.
The cost for the Access Plus Program is approximately $8,000 per semester and provides services to academically-capable students with ASD that help support their academic achievement, live independently and participate fully in campus life.
“Many of the prospective students and their families who have visited the NSU campus have expressed a need for financial support in order to participate in Access Plus,” said Sue Kabot, Ed.D., executive director of the Autism Institute at NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development. “This gift will allow some of them to achieve their goals of a four-year college experience.”
NSU is currently recruiting students to participate in Access Plus starting in the 2014 fall semester. The services Access Plus provides students include:
|
· A two-hour, daily study hall, staffed by peer mentors under the supervision of the program administrator which meets Monday through Friday;
· Assistance in supporting and maintaining appropriate structure to the student’s day and the supervision of assignments through completion;
· Residential supports through the training of Residential Advisors assigned to the dormitories of Access Plus students;
· Individualized plans for each student will be implemented to ensure that their educational, personal and recreational goals are met. Weekly psycho-educational groups will be offered to students to focus on information exchange, skill building, and reflection and discussion regarding individual progress;
|
· Support to participate in and enjoy extracurricular activities thereby being involved in the overall college experience including campus clubs, organizations and social events;
· Assistance in planning weekend activities on campus and in the community to ensure that these students have as typical a college experience as possible;
· A 24-hour phone line staffed by the Access Plus program administrator and peer mentors to handle questions and concerns that may arise at any time;
· Support in keeping dormitory rooms organized and clean, developing and maintaining schedules to ensure attendance at classes, and prompting to ensure appropriate personal hygiene.
|
Students who are getting ready to start post-secondary education are urged to see what Nova Southeastern University has to offer. Students can find a wealth of information – from degrees offered to athletic programs to campus life – online at www.nova.edu.
###
About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 314 beautiful acres in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is a dynamic, fully accredited research institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs at all levels. NSU is a not-for-profit independent institution with an enrollment of 27,000 students. NSU awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields. NSU is classified as a research university with “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, and it is one of only 37 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification. For more information, please visit www.nova.edu. Celebrating 50 years of academic excellence!
Media Contact:
Joe Donzelli | Office of Public Affairs
954-262-2159 (office)
954-661-4571 (cell)
jdonzelli@nova.edu