Latest on News and Opportunities for Neurodivergent Students

Here are some great opportunities for neurodivergent students compiled by Eric Endlich (who can be followed on LinkedIn for more frequent updates on these types of opportunities):

Paid Summer Internship – College Students/Grads

Do you know any neurodivergent college students or recent grads looking for a paid STEM-related summer internship? Look no further than the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation at Vanderbilt University!

From the website at FCAI Autism Summer Internship Applications Now Open for 2024! | Frist Center for Autism and Innovation | Vanderbilt University: The Frist Center is excited to announce applications are now open for our Autism Summer Internship Program.

The program is open to undergraduate students who identify as neurodiverse (either through formal or self-diagnosis).

Through this internship, successful applicants will undergo a STEM project with a faculty mentor, under the guidance of the Frist Center for Autism and Innovation.

This year the program will take place between May 27th – August 2nd, in person on the Vanderbilt University Campus.

Interested undergraduates should apply at this Google Form by the closing date of 11:59pm CT on February 14th. This internship will focus primarily on science and engineering (STEM) related projects.

Many neurodivergent folks are undiagnosed – they understand this and ask that your students do not let lack of a formal diagnosis keep them from applying. Participants are current college undergraduate students or recent college graduates. Interns will be paid, as well as receiving a stipend for housing. While most interns are autistic, those with other types of neurodiversity may apply as well!

They also strongly encourage those from minority backgrounds or underrepresented groups to apply.

Paid Summer STEM Internship – High School Students

From the website at N3: NASA’s Neurodiversity Network (sonoma.edu):

Each year through 2025, NASA’s Neurodiversity Network will accept applications for summer interns to work on projects with NASA scientists. The goal of the N3 program is to provide experiences for neurodiverse students, specifically those who identify as autistic, that will spark their interest in careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics).

All interns will be paired with a Subject Matter Expert (SME) from NASA’s network. Individual SMEs will have expertise in at least one of the following areas:

  • Planetary Science
  • Earth Science
  • Space Science
  • Engineering
  • Computer Science

The work schedule will be mutually agreed upon by the intern and the SME. Internships will be completed remotely during Summer 2024 and N3 interns will receive a $1,000 stipend upon completion of their internship. Students are expected to complete approximately 100 hours of work over the internship period.

If you have questions about eligibility or application details after reviewing this webpage, you can contact their team at ariccio@edc.org.

To apply, they must receive your application and a letter of recommendation from a teacher who can speak to your skills and interests in specific areas related to NASA subjects. A recommendation letter from a teacher or another professional is required of all applicants. Full applications are due by March 8, 2024. Applicants will be notified of their application result during the week of April 8th.

Guidelines:

  • Prospective interns must be current high school students 16 years of age or older. Preference will be given to students who are rising juniors or older but rising sophomores are invited to apply.
  • Prospective interns must identify as autistic to align with N3’s mission.
  • Prospective interns must have completed pre-calculus, and at least two years of physical science courses (e.g. earth science, chemistry or physics). Note that in the past, applicants who have completed a calculus course and two years of physical science have been most likely to be selected. If you have not yet taken these classes, please consider reapplying next year.
  • Summer 2024 interns will complete at least 100 hours between June 1 and September 1, 2024. Upon completion of their final projects, interns will receive a $1,000 stipend.

Prospective interns may submit their responses using the linked application form or submit recorded audio, written text, video, or written answers transcribed by a scribe. If there are other accommodations that would assist with your internship application process, please contact our N3 internship team at ariccio@edc.org. We hope to learn from our N3 interns to build our understanding about the best ways to work with neurodiverse youth.

Summer Neurodiversity Advocacy Camp – High School Students

Stanford Neurodiversity Project – Research Education Advocacy Camp for High School Students https://med.stanford.edu/neurodiversity/SNP-REACH2024.html 

  • Hybrid July 8-July 19
  • In-Person (at Stanford) July 22-August 2
  • Application deadline April 17

From the website: Students will join via Zoom or in person on Stanford’s campus from around the US and around the world. The remote setting allows students to listen carefully to educators, make use of closed captioning, and use preference of voice or the chat function to communicate, which fosters full engagement in group discussions. Leading lecturers, researchers, and clinicians from Stanford and around the country will present on different aspect of neurodiversity and allyship. Small group projects allow students to connect in a deeper more active way. Both remote and in-person formats allows students to make new friends, expand your worldview and continue the conversation beyond the camp.

Selected campers will have the distinctive opportunity to present their final projects at the Stanford Neurodiversity Summit. This virtual summit is a unique conference bringing together neurodiverse / neurodivergent individuals, employers, service agencies, educators and students, parents, and professionals from all areas of the field. Previous Summit presenters have included Temple Grandin, PhD, Representative Jessica Benham, (state of Pennsylvania), neurodiversity pioneer Judy Singer, and many more. Camp participants who participate in the Summit will join a lineup of world class speakers.

Autism Scholarship – High School and College Students

Apply For Our Autism Scholarship – KFM Making A Difference

Thanks to Kerry Magro for providing these scholarships for autistic college students and college-bound high school students! Complete instructions are available on the KFM website.

From the website: All high school students with autism attending a post-secondary program in the 2024-2025 academic year may apply. In addition, all current college students with autism may apply as well who will be attending a post-secondary program in the 2024-2025 academic year. This scholarship has no geographic restrictions meaning it’s open to all upcoming and current college students with autism in the U.S and internationally! If you were selected in a previous year and/or weren’t selected you may reapply as long as you are still attending college in the 2024-2025 academic year. Just make sure to send us a new original application and essay!

The winning applicant will receive a $500 scholarship to be used to pay for their post-secondary education.

All scholarship applications need to be filled out with all of the requirements listed below by no later than Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at Midnight EST! 

Relationship Workshop/Study for Autistic Adults (with potential stipend)

Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum (HEARTS):  April 2024 class and research study

Online “Closed” 12-Part Workshop – Healthy Relationships on The Autism Spectrum (HEARTS) for Adults, 4/25/24 – 8/22/24, 7:15 PM – 8:45 PM ET – AANE

Healthy Relationships on the Autism Spectrum (HEARTS) is a 12 session workshop for autistic adults who would like to learn about, and talk about, healthy friendship and dating relationships offered in conjunction with the Autism and Neurodiversity Network (AANE). HEARTS provides education about what a healthy vs. unhealthy relationship feels like, how to notice warning signs that a relationship is becoming unhealthy, how to cope with a breakup or end of a friendship how to restart friendships with people when you have fallen out of touch, and how to stay motivated to meet new people. HEARTS is rooted in a neurodiversity perspective and is taught by an autistic and non-autistic team. HEARTS affirms all relationship types and styles, all genders, and all sexual orientations (LGBTQ+, poly, asexual, etc.). 

DATES OF CLASS SESSIONS: April 25, May 2, May 9, May 16, May 23, May 30, July 18, July 25, August 1, August 8, August 15, August 22

TIME: 7:15 PM  – 8:45 PM ET

WHERE: Online via Zoom 

HEARTS is also being evaluated through a randomized controlled trial funded by NIH. Therefore, people who sign up for the HEARTS class and meet eligibility criteria can also receive up to $300 on a e-gift card for participation in surveys and interviews related to HEARTS.

Lastly, here is a sortable database of 200+ neurodiversity-friendly colleges and universities Eric maintains: College Programs for Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, Disabilities | College Consultants (topcollegeconsultants.com).]

Link to document that Eric maintains with additional programs and opportunities – https://docs.google.com/document/d/1f738ZIQrLa1MXVRjfrQR7672Rq0_LU0nDuTj1AUregw/edit