Help Us Empower Neurodivergent Terps for the Workforce!
The Lab for Autism and Neurodiversity Employment
Help Us Empower Neurodivergent Terps for the Workforce!
This year, the University of Maryland’s Neurodiversity and Autism Transition Services (NATS) SIGNA Program proudly celebrates its 10th anniversary! Housed in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, SIGNA has been a national leader in supporting autistic and other neurodivergent UMD students through a unique, four-pronged model:
- Skills training for neurodivergent students
- Clinical education for speech-language pathology students
- Research to improve clinical outcomes
- Campus and community outreach
Now, we’re ready to take the next big step—and we need your help.
Our Next Innovation: The Lab for Autism and Neurodiversity Employment
Neurodivergent students often face barriers to employment—not due to lack of talent, but due to a lack of inclusive preparation and opportunity. That’s why we’re launching the Lab for Autism and Neurodiversity Employment: a bold initiative to prepare our students for internships, job placements, and long-term career success.
Your support will help us:
- Develop customized employment readiness workshops
- Partner with inclusive employers for internships and job shadowing
- Provide peer mentorship and coaching
- Create research-informed tools to support neurodivergent success in the workplace
Why Give?
Your donation will directly impact the lives of neurodivergent Terps—empowering them with the tools, confidence, and opportunities they need to thrive beyond college. Together, we can build a more inclusive future where all students have the chance to shine.
Gifts in support of the University of Maryland are accepted and managed by the University of Maryland College Park Foundation, Inc., an affiliated 501(c)(3) organization authorized by the Board of Regents. Contributions to the University of Maryland are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Please see your tax advisor for details.
$100
Professional
Your gift buys supplies to support our program (e.g., dry erase board, dry erase markers, flip charts, index cards, legal pads)
$250
Champion
Your gift support honorarium for 1 guest speaker per hour (e.g., employers, employment specialists, and neurodivergent professional guest speakers)
$500
Legacy
Your gift provides opportunity for an hourly speech-language pathology graduate student for Neurodiversity Employment Training Lab Study Hall support
$1,000
Transformational
Your gift helps covers costs for 1 neuro-affirming workshop: Design Thinking the Job Search for NATS-SIGNA students in Launch and the Neurodiversity Employment Training (NET) Lab students. This is 1 if a series of high-impact strategic design workshops, moving beyond traditional lectures to better position the students and SIGNA team as co-creators and stakeholders. Design thinking principles will be leveraged to systematically address and dismantle the unique friction points and anxieties inherent in the neurodivergent job search process. The result is a tangible, actionable roadmap of solutions co-created by the community itself, empowering students with real-world professional experience and immediate strategies for self-advocacy and employment success.