VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Virginia Wesleyan University announced it is creating a Center for Career Development and Neurodiversity.
University leadership says it’s made possible because of a $625,000 grant supported by Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.
“It is going to ideally help up to 100 students bridge between high school, college and the real world,” explained Kelly Cordova, the Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategic Initiatives at VWU.
Williamsburg, James City County, Yorktown
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Cordova said the grant funds two positions. One position will focus on career development, such as resume writing, improving social skills, and helping neurodivergent students find a job that fits their skills and talents. The other position will work on support systems, such as speech therapy or other needs.
“Fifty percent of neurodivergent students who have a high school diploma aren’t enrolled in college,” stated Cordova. “They aren’t enrolled in a training program. What are they doing? Where are they going? This is a huge, untapped, underserved segment of the population, and here at Virginia Wesleyan, we know that we can help them.”
Priscilla Monti is on the VWU President’s Council and is also the mother of Charles Pellenberg, a senior who has autism.
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“I think it’s fantastic that they’re funding this,” Monti exclaimed. "And I’m excited to see how far it will grow."
“The neurodiverse population is a gold mine," she added. "These brains have superpowers. There’s no question about it. So, if employers are smart enough to tap into these brains, they will find their companies going in directions they never would have thought of.”
Starting in the Fall of 2024, the center will begin serving students in dual enrollment, campus-based, online learning and workforce development programs.
