“… if [you are] treat[ed] poorly because of your disability…that isn’t a place you would want to work anyway.” – An S-STEM Scholar with autism
“If the timing is not right, find an internship that accepts your strengths, and maybe revisit the previous opportunities later.” – An S-STEM Scholar with autism
“Being more aware of my interests will allow me to advocate more effectively and put myself in a better position to [succeed].” – An S-STEM scholar with dyslexia and ADHD
Students at Landmark College. Photo credit: Todd Miller.
At Landmark College we embrace the concept of neurodiversity which is a concept rooted in the biological reality that brains develop and function in naturally diverse ways. Rather than categorizing individuals as normal or abnormal, it encourages acceptance of this variation. Neurodivergence is a non-medical term used to indicate that a brain operates differently from the norm, and it is associated with, often encompassing, both exceptional abilities and disabilities, which can coexist in the same individual. To us, it means that autism, ADHD, and learning disabilities are valuable forms of humanity that enrich our culture. New ideas, insights, and unique ways of viewing the world come from diverse minds. This is a strength. We are all neurodiverse, while individuals that are neurotypical fall within the center of the bell curve, but individuals that are neurodivergent fall on the edges, both above and below the center of the curve. Broadly speaking the world was designed for individuals who fall within the middle range of the bell curve, but many people have characteristics that fall outside of that box. However, we also recognize that a view of neurodiversity is culture dependent on and that other societies and cultures around the world might define “normal” differently and thus identification, treatment and support will vary (Matson et al., 2011). Our U.S. based program strives to help scholars redefine their “deficit-based” challenges to reframe strengths-based professional language that highlights their increased possibility of specific advantages, as shown in the bell curve in Figure 1.
Figure 1. A figure demonstrating the distribution of neurodiversity in terms of the bell curve.
AIESTEMPLOS Overview
The AIE-STEMPLOS program at Landmark College supports academically talented, neurodivergent, low-income students pursuing associate and bachelor’s degrees in computer science and biology. Over three years, it has served 26 students, emphasizing a close-knit community, mentorship, and outreach opportunities. Notable successes include 100% participation in science outreach events during the 23-24 academic year, a rise in internship completion from 52% to 87%, and 56% of scholars engaging in grant dissemination. Additionally, 96% of scholars have integrated the strengths-based Birkman® survey into their development.
Reframing Challenges Neurodivergent Students Face with Strengths-Based Language
Landmark College students. Photo credit: Todd Miller.
As students, many individuals that are neurodivergent have been surrounded by messaging that focuses on how they need to adapt to the world, typically with their deficits as the cornerstone. These approaches, although not always ill-intentioned, can compromise students’ confidence and identity. Strengths-based approaches like the Birkman® survey can help students identify their strengths and reframe their neurodifference using common professional language.
Many individuals that are neurodivergent have been surrounded by deficit approaches, which can compromise their confidence and identity. The Birkman Method is an empirically derived trait-based personality test that, through a self-report survey, identifies characteristics that influence an individual’s perception, motivations and behaviors (Birkman, n.d.) The resulting report highlights how these traits appear in an optimal situation (your best self when your needs are met) and also gives suggestions as to how one might behave under stress when needs are not met. The report is non-judgmental and straightforward and points toward the strengths of these traits and suitable environments to optimize them. This tool reflects the neurodiversity movement in that it highlights that strengths shine best in certain environments, likewise disability only manifest as deficits in certain environments. Very often scholars recognize their preferences and behaviors and how they are impacted by the environment. This allows them to reframe tendencies that they had previously viewed only through a deficit lens. At this point in our project, 96% (25 out of 26 scholars) have taken the Birkman® survey and debriefed the results with the grant leadership team. The table below is a compiled example of students’ adoption of Birkman® language in their own words.
Table 1. A table with examples of students taking their neurotype language and “translating” it into Birkman® survey interpretations. Quotes demonstrate the power of reframing challenges as normal variations in human behavior, which is essentially the concept of neurodiversity.
Building and Leveraging Relationships
Our program leverages Landmark College’s intimate environment from recruitment through graduation. We collaborate with financial aid and admissions to identify eligible scholars, focusing on those with existing postsecondary experience, as neurodivergent students often benefit from additional transition time. STEM faculty are involved in recruitment to ensure a good fit for the program.
Once selected, scholars receive multi-tiered support, including a STEM faculty mentor, a dedicated career counselor, and participation in a 1-credit peer mentoring program. All mentors and career counselors use the strengths-based Birkman® survey to communicate effectively with scholars. Throughout the multi-semester course, students develop their Birkman® language, applying it to their professional profiles and Individualized Development Plans (IDPs). Advanced scholars share their experiences, encouraging newer students to connect with mentors and pursue internships. This approach has led to an increase in student internships from 52% to 87%, largely due to the influence of advanced scholars demonstrating the success of neurodivergent individuals in these opportunities.
Figure 2. A bar graph comparing the pre-intervention (pre-Birkman® and 1-credit course) internship statistics to year 2 (57%) and year 3 (87%).
Roadmap for Scholars
It is important to acknowledge that there is no set schedule for scholars to meet certain benchmarks (they progress through the roadmap at their own pace). However, every scholar that participates in the program demonstrates growth, as they progress through the roadmap below.
Figure 3. A “roadmap” for scholars that participate in the AIE-STEMPLOS program.
The Birkman® language is crucial for establishing rapport and building strong relationships between mentors and scholars. A key component of our program is integrating this strengths-based language throughout the roadmap. Our program encourages engagement in communication at a variety of levels, eventually progressing to external dissemination opportunities. While strengths-based approaches are introduced in the first-year experience course at Landmark College, our program emphasizes the value of revisiting and applying this language throughout the scholars’ academic and professional journey.
Conclusions
The AIE-STEMPLOS program at Landmark College demonstrates how a strengths-based approach can empower neurodivergent students to succeed academically and professionally. By emphasizing individual strengths and creating a supportive environment, the program has significantly increased internship participation and helped scholars confidently navigate their career paths. The program’s focus on self-awareness, effective advocacy, and finding environments that embrace neurodiversity has enhanced both academic and career outcomes, contributing to a more inclusive community. This approach benefits all scholars, particularly those from low-income and other underrepresented backgrounds, by helping them reframe their differences to improve their professional prospects in STEM.
References
A Strengths-Based Approach to Neurodiversity | Psychology Today. (n.d.). Retrieved August 12, 2024, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/divergent-minds/202301/a-strengths-based-approach-to-neurodiversity
Birkman. (n.d.). Organizations all over the world are choosing Birkman. Birkman. Retrieved February 11, 2024, from https://birkman.com/about-birkman
Geyer, N. K. (2021). Beyond Accommodations: Considerations for Supporting and Improving Academic Outcomes for Neurodivergent Students in Post-Secondary EducationBeyond Accommodations: Considerations for Supporting and Improving Academic Outcomes for Neurodivergent Students in Post-Secondary Education. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://minds.wisconsin.edu/bitstream/handle/1793/81778/Geyer,%20Natasha.pdf?sequence=1
Matson, J. L., Worley, J. A., Fodstad, J. C., Chung, K.-M., Suh, D., Jhin, H. K., Furniss, F. (2011). A multinational study examining the cross-cultural differences in reported symptoms of autism spectrum disorders: Israel, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders, 5(4), 1598–1604.
Sullivan, D., Hidalgo, D., Stolle, J., Zavala, F., Matte, R., & Monroe, C. (n.d.). Scholar Perspectives on the Impact of a Scientific Community Program for Neurodivergent Undergraduate STEM Scholars. Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, Accepted.
