É«ÀÇÉçÇø

There is a new PATH for students on the autism spectrum at É«ÀÇÉçÇø and Chiara Latimer is just the right person to lead our students on their journey. Chiara’s history of working with students with ASD (autism spectrum disorder) dates to her involvement in a high school mentorship program between The Charter School of Wilmington and Richardson Park Learning Center. “I thought, this is it,” Chiara says. “I loved meeting those families. And I began to understand the struggles of the teachers who were trying to support their students.” Her passion for initiatives that help autistic individuals, their families and their teachers has only grown since then and she feels fortunate to have landed in that field. She often tells students, “It may not be something you do in college – it may be something you’ve always enjoyed,” that helps inform your career aspirations.

Upon completion of her Master’s degree, she became a family consultant with the Center for Autism of Philadelphia in their Social Competency Program. In this after-school program, therapists provided treatments and goals and Chiara was the liaison between treatment staff and family – keeping everyone connected and on the same page. As the children in the program aged into the next phase, she followed their journeys. Chiara took on the challenge of developing support and curriculum for the families as they moved into adolescence and young adulthood.

Chiara recognizes the opportunities and challenges that college and adulthood present, “Many individuals on the spectrum are extremely intelligent and have passionate interests they want to pursue. While college is realistic for them and their families, many were unsure if it was attainable. How will their children be supported in higher education? Are there systems in place? What do those systems look like?” On the flip side, many educators would come to me and say, “I’m not sure how to support a neurodiverse student. I’m not prepared in the way I’d like to be.”

É«ÀÇÉçÇø’s recently-launched PATH Program – Preparation & Achievement of Transition to Hire Program for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder – offers support to current students, as well as alumni. This new extension of our Career Advancement services also acts as an enhancement to the current disability resources we provide for students with ASD and offers Chiara the opportunity to work with students from the beginning of their college career and beyond – a support resource that É«ÀÇÉçÇø provides free of charge to our students and alumni. Believe it or not, many institutions actually charge for support services such as PATH. This creates a large obstacle, both financially and academically, for a group that is already facing an uphill battle to secure full-time employment. Though national data is hard to quantify, because of discrepancies in reporting and disclosure, it is believed that individuals with ASD have the largest unemployment rate, around 80%, among individuals with disabilities.

Currently, there are approximately 110 registered students with ASD on the É«ÀÇÉçÇø campus, as well as a large (around 85) alumni base that has reached out to her for guidance. Chiara is committed to providing support through programs that will help them understand how their education translates into career planning. This includes counseling in career readiness, identifying mentorship opportunities and employment opportunities. The family component is also included, with the Parent/Caregiver Resource Network. As she learned throughout her work experiences, families are often the primary support system, and it is vital they are included as a knowledgeable partner.

Chiara is excited to lead PATH at É«ÀÇÉçÇø and for the students – incoming freshman and current students – to start getting to know her in the fall. “I think it’s important that students have a sense of community and belonging. I can’t wait for them to get to know me. Then, they’ll know they can talk to me about anything. I’m a resource.”

And it’s not just students with ASD that Chiara aims to help. When asked about what she wishes people knew about career planning, her answer was insightful. “Every experience you’ve had is valuable. Let’s talk about them. Companies want to see that you have transferrable skills. Let us help you translate those skills and make them work for you.”