NSU Horizons Fall 2018

22 NSU HORIZONS stressing the importance of a professional appearance. “Job SEEKers made everything a lot easier. They went over everything with him, from making a choice about whether or not to tell an employer about his disability, to what the laws and his rights were,” said Krumenacker. And fortunately, some major corporations like Ford Motor Company, Microsoft, and JPMorgan Chase & Co., have updated their hiring practices to accommodate people with autism. But that’s the minority; most companies in the U.S. have done nothing about hiring people with ASD. A year after his high school graduation Hopkins was still unemployed. His applications seemed to be falling into a black hole. The two interviews he did secure resulted in rejections. When asked about it, Hopkins said, “I’m going to guess that there were probably more qualified candidates than I was. But I also believe there might have been something involving my disability. I don’t know if that’s true, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that was a factor.” A Spectrum of Challenges Still, Hopkins and his parents didn’t give up. Eventually, they received a call from UM-NSU CARD alerting them to an opportunity at Rising Tide, a car wash in Parkland, Florida, that was expanding to a second location. UM- NSU CARD does not offer job placement services, but if an employer reaches out to them, they do connect them with potential candidates. NSU Serves the ASD Community NSU’s Mailman Segal Center for Human Development offers a comprehensive spectrum of services for families affected by autism. It serves children from 18 months old into adulthood. Its assistance includes early intervention programs, public and private school options, college support, and family support. The center’s internationally recognized Baudhuin Preschool serves children between ages 3 and 5. It focuses on cognitive, social-emotional, adaptive, behavioral, motor, and communication skill development within a relationship-based environment. The center also provides clinical programs like the Kapila Family Foundation Starting Right Program and the Unicorn Children’s Foundation Clinic. To support its undergraduate students with ASD, NSU introduced the Access Plus program in 2014. Members receive support to help them succeed academically, build independent living skills, and engage in campus activities. Job search training and career planning are also available. The common goal of all of these programs is to help people with autism achieve their potential. To learn more, visit msc.nova.edu/autism-institute. continued from previous page