It is OAR’s pleasure to announce the two recipients of the first of two rounds of the 2023 Synchrony Tech Scholarships: Lucinda Hemingway and Nathaniel Castellanos. Castellanos will complete the Miami Dade College’s Certificate of Professional Preparation in Networking Program with the scholarship. Hemingway plans to use the scholarship to attend The University of New…
OAR has awarded 55 students with scholarships for 2023, bringing the scholarship total to $1,717,500 provided to 558 autistic students since 2007. This year, 1,112 students applied for one of three OAR scholarships: the Lisa Higgins Hussman Scholarship, the Schwallie Family Scholarship, and the Synchrony Scholarship for Autistic Students of Color. All three scholarships provide one-time $3,000 awards…
Throughout April and May, OAR teamed up with experts and researchers to deliver a four-part webinar series on the themes of sexuality and relationships. The series featured researchers who conducted studies related to dating, relationships, and sexuality, giving and receiving consent, friendship development, and communication and conflict management. Each webinar provided both extensive information and practical…
OAR recently welcomed nine new volunteers for the Hire Autism Navigator program. Congratulations to the new navigators who successfully completed their navigator training and will now be ready to work one-on-one with autistic job seekers! Our newest navigators are: Tina Arnoldi Brandan Balasingham Bryan Hurwitz Bridget Kunz Kathleen Mahoney Sylvia Musselman Maulik Sarin Jeff Smith …
OAR’s Scientific Council oversees the annual research competitions and produces the highest quality reviews for prospective research study results. They also assist the board of directors in developing its research strategy, objectives, and priorities. Informally known as SCOAR, the Council recently welcomed three new members. Noor Syed, PhD, BCBA-D, LBA/LBS, is an assistant professor, program coordinator,…
Join OAR this fall for four live webinar events on autism in the workplace that will offer practical strategies, tools, and support plans for autistic adults, employers, parents, and professionals. The series will focus on topics such as disclosure, accommodations, inclusion, self-advocacy, and the transition from higher education to the workplace. Additionally, for the first time,…
OAR strives to support autistic young adults in their transition to college and adulthood, a process that can be overwhelming as they leave the support of the K-12 special education system. This fall, as part of that targeted support for autistic young adults, OAR has a goal to distribute 15,000 copies of our informational resources…
OAR’s Hire Autism program has recently partnered with three organizations to improve employment opportunities for autistic adults and support them as they search for jobs. Getting Hired is a job board dedicated to providing employment opportunities to job seekers with disabilities and other diversities. This job board is for both remote and in-person roles across…
It is summertime, and pools, beaches, lakes, and ponds are wonderful places to enjoy recreation. For autistic children, though, places near water can be dangerous because they have a tendency to wander. A 2018 study that surveyed parents reported that 40% of them said that their child had wandered or attempted to wander at least…
OAR awarded nine grants totaling $16,312.97 in the 2023 Graduate Research Competition. These newly funded grants are a part of the more than $322,067 awarded to fund more than 180 graduate research studies since 2003. The program offers up to $1,000 to master’s students and $2,000 to doctoral candidates or post-doctoral students to conduct autism-focused…
