News and Knowledge

Meghana Shetty, a 2014 Northwestern University graduate, is doing her second internship at OAR. “One of the things I loved about OAR the first time around was how wide-ranging and dynamic its projects were. The staff dives deep into a broad range of initiatives and always has something new in the works. I knew I had more to contribute to the old projects I’d started and much more to learn from the new ones to come, so returning was a no brainer.”

During her last internship in 2016, she wrote research snapshots, helped to plan and develop the new volunteer program and college guidebook (not yet published), and distributed the Kit for Kids for the Autism in the Schoolhouse initiative. She also worked on social media content and helped with the website redesign.

This time, she resumed her work on outreach for Autism in the Schoolhouse and has been writing articles for the college guidebook. She’s also working on social media and website content.

She will be with OAR until mid-May. She hopes to pursue a career that advances mental health services and programs so she is applying to master’s programs in mental and public health.

Over the course of her internships, she says, she has and is learning about the network of “researchers, professionals, agencies and organizations in the field and their initiatives to improve quality of life for those with autism.” She has also come to better understand the challenges and experiences of families, self-advocates, educators, and others in the autism community, which has opened her eyes to viewpoints she had not considered before.