Center for Understanding

Admission is $75 per person, $35 for people with autism spectrum and similar conditions. Price includes bagel, juice, coffee, yogurt breakfast and catered lunch of chicken salad, salsa, chips, fruit and dessert.
 

Friday, April 6

Download Conference Information Brochure here

Download Printable Registration Form here

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Registration Fee:

Individual $75.00 USD Person with Autism or Learning Disability $35.00 USD

Keynote Speakers:

Marc will discuss strategies and procedures to support students with autism spectrum disorders as they transition into higher education, focusing particularly on supporting the social and academic needs inherent in the college lifestyle. Tips for supporting professors and residence hall staff will be provided, as well as examples of effective methods for assisting students as they transition out of college into the workforce.

Marc Ellison has worked for more than 25 years to provide support and advocacy to individuals with ASD, their families, and those who care for them. In his role as Associate Director of Training for the West Virginia Autism Training Center, Marc leads efforts statewide to improve the availability of evidencebased services to West Virginians with ASD. As part of his duties, Marc supervises an on-campus support program at Marshall University – established in 2002 as the first of its kind in the country – for college students living on the autism spectrum. He is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an Adjunct Professor of Counseling at Marshall University.

Introductions and "My Life as an Open Book"

 presented by Dena Gassner, LMSW & Director of the Center for Understanding

Dena is a familiar face in the Nashville disability community. She is the Director/Founder of the Center for Understanding which is a program that provides direct hand-over-hand systems navigation support to families, transition aged teens and adults with Asperger Syndrome. She is a board member for the Autism Society of America and GRASP. She is the 2009 winner of the Jo Andrews Award from Nashville's Mayor's Committee on Disability for outstanding disabilityadvocacy. She has been featured in a PSA (no-myths.org) and an online video for the Dan Marino Foundation (AU-tube). Today, she continues her work as a nationally recognized advocate, writer, and national presenter to schools, families, and agencies throughout the country. She is a contributing author to the recently released "Scholars with Autism Achieving Success" (Perner, ed).

With C4U she embodies a commitment to encouraging healthier living for those with Asperger’s Syndrome and other learning differences. Her personal mantra empowers persons to leave shame and inadequacy behind for a life embracing autistic authenticity. Authenticity leads to physical and emotional wholeness through the process to redefine success and while remaining safe on every level.

In her segment of the program, Dena will address authenticity and self-awareness as the foundational key to preparation for college and other post-secondary options.

Preparing for and Transitioning to Higher Education
for a Student with ASD: A Parent’s Perspective
presented by Ann Palmer of University of North Carolina

The parent of a 28-year-old son with autism will describe her family’s experience preparing for and transitioning her son to a large state university. She will cover some of the strategies they used to prepare the student and themselves for this transition as well as ways that parents can support their son or daughter with ASD in college.

Ann Palmer is a parent of a young man with autism, an author and presenter, and a professional having worked with families for over 20 years. She is currently a faculty member of the Carolina Institute on Developmental Disabilities (CIDD) at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. She is the author of three books published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers. Her book, Realizing the College Dream with Autism or Asperger Syndrome: a Parent’s Guide to Student Success was written about her son’s college experience.