From Campus to Career
Over the last decade, STARS, Inc., has grown from providing social opportunities for autistic college students and supporting their academic pursuits to helping them prepare for, find, and sustain competitive employment. An important partner is the University of Tennessee Center on Developmental Disabilities (CDD). As a federally designated University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities, the CDD offers financial support for this organization, and faculty participate on the STARS board of directors.
STARS comprises the following innovative programs:
STARS are Social: Members is comprised of autistic and neurotypical college students, who together create ‘peer-led’ social events/activities that foster growth and encourage the formation of meaningful friendships with college peers. Activities promote self-expression and require the students to improvise and think quickly in changing situations, which builds confidence and communication skills.
TEAM (Teaching Employment and Academic Mastery): This program is designed for autistic college students, where a coach meets with the student individually on a weekly basis to monitor their progress and assist with time management, organizational planning, and self-advocacy skills. ÌýTEAM services are supported by Tennessee Vocational Rehabilitation (STARS is a recognized service provider). This program is available to students with an autism diagnosis who attend colleges and universities in Tennessee.
STARS Connects (Connecting Great Companies & Exceptional Talent): This program prepares students for the workplace and serves as a community resource to support local corporations in their efforts to build autism initiatives within their organizations. With an unemployment/underemployment rate of 85%, the time to start an autism hiring program is now.
InsideOut with STARS: This program is dedicated to increasing overall health, promoting positive lifestyle changes, and supporting independent living. We have weekly group workouts on the Christian Brothers University campus, led by Dr. Colby Taylor.
Stewardship with the STARS (Educating, Volunteering, and Giving Back to the Community): The ultimate goal for STARS is to serve as a program model for other universities and local corporations, helping to prepare and transform them into autism-friendly campuses. STARS achieve this by educating faculty and staff on the challenges and barriers that autistic individuals face in college or the workplace and helping them develop strategies to reduce these barriers and improve retention.
For more information visit the or contact:
Kim Jameson, STARS Executive Director
Email: kjameson@collegestars.orgÌý
Phone: 901.210.3323