OAR News

Lindsey Siff and Alyssa Grzesiak recently joined OAR for summer internships. Both will be working at OAR until mid-August. Siff was motivated to do her internship at OAR because several of her family members have been diagnosed with autism. Grzesiak looks forward to expanding her knowledge about autism generally and more specifically about the resources available to people with autism and those who support them.

Grzesiak applied to OAR for an internship after interviewing John Elder Robison for “The Flat Hat,” the student newspaper at The College of William & Mary, where she is a rising junior. “I wanted to get more involved in advocating for those with autism, and being a resource to help them advocate for themselves,” she explains. “I couldn’t imagine spending my summer doing something that I’m not passionate about; luckily, I don’t have to.” She is double majoring in psychology and linguistics.

Siff is a rising junior at George Washington University. She is also working on double majors in psychology and fine arts. While she has volunteered with organizations like Special Olympics that gave her a chance to directly interact with people with autism, she wanted to work in an organization that does research that addresses the needs of people with autism and their families. “Learning more about autism in general and from the viewpoint of a self-advocate will be very valuable. Working for a nonprofit organization will also help me develop skills that I otherwise wouldn’t gain,” she says.

“Some of our most significant programs and resources started as projects done by our interns over the years,” says Mike Maloney, OAR executive director.  “Based on their work to date, Alyssa and Lindsey are definitely carrying on that tradition of excellence and impact.”