What’s next for autism education at St. Joe’s
Ryan Hammond, former Executive Director of the Kinney Center for Autism Education and Support, recently left her position to work with the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Challenge Foundation.
A replacement has not been selected as of now, but the directors of the Kinney Center will share Hammond’s responsibilities until a new director is found, said Abigayle Jayroe, director of operations.
Hammond’s collaborative leadership style has left the Center in a good position for such a change according to Lindsey DelCarlino, assistant director of programs for the Kinney Center.
“[Hammond] put her heart and soul into everything she did here at Kinney, but within that, she also supported us,” DelCarlino said. “And I think that’s why, although we will be missing her, we will still be able to continue on our path of growth here at the Kinney Center.”
Although the staff is sad to see Hammond go, her new position provides new opportunities for the Center, according to DelCarlino.
“[We’re] really excited for her and excited for us, too, because she went to the Eagles, and she’s still going to be working with the autism population. There’s going to be lots of great opportunities for us to collaborate with the Eagles now, so that’s going to be opening some great doors for us,” DelCarlino said.
The Kinney Center serves a two-fold mission: employing and training undergraduates interested in working with the autism community while also serving individuals and families affected by autism in the community with programs offered throughout the week, according to DelCarlino.
In addition to the annual 5K at HawkFest, the Kinney Center also hosts Autism Week every April. This year, the Center will be participating in the Day of Giving on April 10, with the fashion show kicking off Autism Week on April 13.
The Center also provides support to St. Joe’s students affected by autism through the ASPIRE program. For those students, the Center offers skills classes, a supervised study hall, and a peer mentor to help them acclimate to the university.
Peer mentors are students who meet one-on-one with ASPIRE students on a weekly basis. Those pairs spend time in the community surrounding campus running errands, going to movies, and other activities which develop their friendships.
The Center offers other student opportunities as well. Kristen Foelsch ’20 is a member of the SCHOLARS (Students Committed to Helping Others Learn About Autism Research and Support) program.
Foelsch, an autism behavioral studies major, entered the program through the SCHOLARS Apprenticeship summer camp as a freshman. The experience was so positive she stayed to work through her sophomore year.
“I love that [the Center has] hands-on experience at such an early age, whereas other institutions don’t let you work with individuals with autism until you receive an internship or after school,” Foelsch said.
Overall, according to Jayroe, the Kinney Center is a tight-knit group of people dedicated to serving the autism community, and will continue to be so in the future.
“We feel really confident [that] we’ll be able to continue moving forward as a strategic asset of the University,” Jayroe said.
