Gifts to the ASCEND program on the West Plains campus have increased resources for students with autism
ASCEND (Autism Support Can Empower New Directions), is the first program of its kind in southern Missouri. It launched in August 2022.
Now, the program has a new name thanks to a dedicated supporter.
There will also be a new building — The Center for Autism and Neurodiversity — accompanied by a sensory garden.
“Program has opened a door” for students
A gift from TJ Swift House, Inc. — an agency contracted with the Missouri Department of Mental Health — led to a renaming in November 2023.
The program is now the TJ Swift House ASCEND Program.
Tracey Hollis-Cooper, her children, Dr. Nate Swift and Keely Swift-Gale, and their spouses, Erin Swift and Dylan Gale, made it possible to name the program.
“Many (people with autism) who complete high school have the intellectual capability to continue their education, but not the support system they need to go to college,” Hollis-Cooper said.
“Attending college is a goal of theirs, and this program has opened a door for them that before wasn’t even a possibility to consider.” That education can lead to career paths.
The new facility will be tailored to the needs of those on the autism spectrum. It will include:
• Indirect lighting.
• Soothing textures on surfaces.
• Sound-absorbing materials.
• Break-out rooms uniquely designed to calm overstimulation.
• A classroom space.
The facility will also be used for a new degree program that emphasizes autism.
University students enrolled in the class will learn how to best support people on the spectrum and help them find success in a classroom setting.
New sensory garden is “above and beyond”
An important gift from a group led by Missouri State University Board of Trustee member and former MSU Board of Governors member Carol Silvey supported the Philanthropic Friends Giving Circle Sensory Garden.
People on the autism spectrum tend to have heightened senses, said Mikala King, director of the autism transition program.
“The sensory garden will give our students a calming outdoor space,” King said.
“Having the sensory garden goes above and beyond by providing multiple ways for our students to feel less distracted and able to focus on their goals in college.”
“Lives will be changed” due to ASCEND
Supporters hope the ASCEND program highlights that people on the autism spectrum can embark on a traditional college degree path and contribute to the community.
“A person with a diagnosis still has many talents and gifts they can bring to a workplace or a volunteer program. They can be a viable resource,” Hollis-Cooper said.
Rachel Peterson, director of development and annual giving at MSU-West Plains, said the community support has been invaluable in growing ASCEND.
“The program wouldn’t exist without Tracey and her family. The Philanthropic Friends Giving Circle Sensory Garden would not exist without Carol and her friends,” Peterson said.
MSU staff and faculty have contributed to the growth of the academic side, and there has been support from city, county and state officials, she said.
“I can’t wait to see how many lives will be changed because of the TJ Swift House ASCEND Program.”
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