TOWSON, Md. – A standing-room only crowd was riveted while listening to the personal experiences of Towson University students Jonathan Harris, Michael Seidman and Jake Goodman. They are all on the autism spectrum and they shared moving stories and provided solutions for enhancing communication with them.
 
"We need your help," Seidman said during Tuesday's program inside of the West Village Ballroom. "Be the change. We're all unique and different and that makes us human. Be friendly (to those on the autism spectrum) and treat them as peers and not as lesser."
 
The students were part of a powerful panel during Towson's campus-wide Diversity Awareness Workshop: Focus on Autism, which was sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts, Athletics and Disability Support Services.
 
With support from The Center for Student Diversity, Pathfinders and the Hussman Center, the panel of Towson students was followed by another panel where Towson men's basketball head coach Pat Skerry, women's basketball head coach Diane Richardson and volleyball head coach Don Metil discussed their experiences with autism and communication.
 
"It was a great turnout of students here today from different academic disciplines, student-athletes and Pathfinders," Skerry said. "I think you learn something everytime you participate in a panel like this. I was really impressed with our students here at Towson and what some of them have overcome and the success that they've had. The other great piece from today, aside from communication strategies, was not being judgmental. I think that's a lesson we all can learn."
 
The panel opened with Trish Kane providing insights into communicating with those individuals diagnosed on the autism spectrum. She used an interactive activity to make a point about the challenges that those on the autism spectrum have communicating. Kane urged the audience to be sure to choose words wisely when interacting with autistic individuals and to have communication tools handy. It takes close to 20 seconds to process receptive language.
 
An estimated one-third of those on the autism spectrum are non-verbal while others may be verbal but unable to sustain a conversation. Some may only be able to communicate by citing scripts. The audience were asked to remember that there's more than one way to communicate, to minimize sensory distractions and be flexible.
 
"I thought it was important to get the students perspective," Rogan said. "We hear from the coaches and those that work in the field and that's important. The students experience and who better than to share that than have it come straight from them and that one-on-one communication. They know it best and that's why we wanted to include them during today's panel."
 
The panel concluded with the head coaches discussing their personal experiences with their kids that are on the autism spectrum. They shared the preferred communication styles of their kids, while stressing that patience is necessary. Each coach also showed their vulnerable side when they shared their concerns about their kids.
 
The program resonated with the Towson student-athletes from several teams who were in attendance.
 
"I think the program was fantastic especially when the three coaches were speaking about their children and the struggles them and their families go through on a day to day basis," Towson junior men's basketball player Brian Fobbs said. "Towson University is doing a wonderful job along with the athletic programs at the school of supporting autism and helping raise autism awareness to acceptance. My teammates and I enjoy being a part of the solution and doing what we can to continue raising awareness."
 
Added women's basketball sophomore guard Jalynn Holmes: "I thought this was a great program and it increased my awareness of autism. I learned to not think any less of people on the spectrum and to not think of disabilities as a disadvantage but as a difference because we're all different in some way. That's what makes us human."
 
Metil closed his presentation by challenging those in attendance to "make an unsafe space, safe; instead of being less thoughtful, be more considerable and to make a less kind space, more acceptable."