For Dom Z., Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts was an endless buffet of opportunities. In this episode of Autism Goes to College, Dom shares with Katharine how he made it across the finish line while immersing himself in campus life, student government, clubs, and the music scene. Plus, he updates us on his personal quest to make life better for every student on campus who might have invisible challenges.

Dom loved the academic coaching available at BSU, got a few college accommodations that helped him with note taking and test taking, and his academic path zig-zagged a bit. He credits a professor with guiding him to stick with his major of Communication Sciences & Disorders, while also looking for creative ways to build a career outside of the traditional speech-language professions.

Advocacy for autistic and neurodiverse college students, how to do college without burning out, disability accommodations, academic coaching, campus belonging, and ways to make grad school work when you also need to work are all part of this conversation.

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For Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, Autism Goes to College host Katharine O’Brien sits down with Dr. Barry Prizant, pioneering autism researcher, advocate, author, and host of the Uniquely Human podcast. Named after his bestselling book, Uniquely Human, the podcast reflects Dr. Prizant’s long-standing impact on the autism community. For Katharine, this is a dream conversation with one of the people who has deeply shaped her life and work. In this episode, they explore how autism research and advocacy have evolved, what Dr. Prizant sees for autistic students on college campuses today compared to when he began his career, and a preview of his next book, due out later this year. Dr. Prizant is the author of five previous books and is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on autism.

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As an aspiring filmmaker and journalism major, Quincy chose SUNY New Paltz for its strong academic options, lively college-town atmosphere, and food scene. He found all of that there, and as he wraps up a busy four years, Quincy reflects on his academic path, a mentorship program he joined first as a mentee and later as a mentor, launching his own podcast, writing for campus publications, and bringing his perspective and experience to dorm life as a resident assistant.

For many autistic and neurodivergent college students, dorm life and having a roommate can be especially challenging, particularly in the first weeks and months of school. Quincy shares how he supports students as they settle in, including helping them find the language to navigate roommates, communication, and shared living. As more college students across the country identify as neurodiverse, many campuses still do not train resident assistants in how to best support autistic students. Drawing on his lived experience, Quincy discusses his senior capstone project, which explores how colleges can better support students on the autism spectrum.

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