UTRGV's Counseling Center in the Brownsville Campus
Student Accessibility Services (SAS) and the Counseling Center at UTRGV are supporting students year round but in April their focus is to create a welcoming classroom and campus environment for students on the spectrum.
SAS Access Coordinator Rebecca Monroe said the department’s goal is to connect students with the support they need.
Monroe said for students on the autism spectrum, support goes beyond simply recognizing autism and explained that acceptance can look like normalizing behaviors often misunderstood in classrooms.
“If somebody uses fidgets so that they can concentrate, then we need to normalize that. That’s acceptance.” Monroe said.
She said many traditional classroom expectations don’t always support neurodiverse students. Simple adjustments such as allowing headphones, movement or avoiding forced eye contact can make a difference.
Monroe said one of the easiest ways to support students is also the most direct.
“All you have to do is, what can I do to help you?,” Monroe said.
Student accessibility services are also creating spaces for connection.
“We’re going to have an autism acceptance awareness event. It’s going to be very calm, sensory friendly,” Monroe said.
UTRGV Counseling Center Case Manager Diana Landeros said their office is involved in ongoing efforts to support students. One of those efforts is a support group created through a statewide wellness initiative.
“This all started from a project focused on student wellness and each university had to choose a population of focus,” Landeros said. “Here at UTRGV, we chose students with autism.”
Landeros said the group was developed after listening to student experiences.
The group provides a welcoming and flexible environment for students who identify as being neurodiverse.
She said it is a safe space where students can feel free to talk and interact with others.
Landeros said the program also focuses on navigating the social and emotional aspects of college life.
“It focuses on skill building, self advocacy, really understanding what it’s like to be on the spectrum,” Landeros said.
Mary & Frank Yturria Elementary School, Life Skills Special Education Teacher Lilia Sanchez said in an email to Vaquero Radio she views advocacy as a core responsibility, she added students on the spectrum often see and interact with their surroundings in unique ways.
Sanchez said her mission is to provide the skills students need to navigate diverse environments successfully.
The special education teacher said she believes the right classroom supports are the foundation for lifelong achievement; the school provides a comprehensive suite of services including occupational therapy (OT), speech language pathology and physical therapy (PT).
Sanchez said there is a need to cultivate highly structured, inclusive environments where students feel secure and valued.
Students can call the Student Accessibility Services at 956-882-7374 or the Counseling Center at 956-882 3897 for Brownsville and 956-665-2574 for Edinburg.
This is Emilio Suarez for Vaquero Radio
