In the next decade over 500,000 individuals will reach adulthood with autism. For many of those who are less severely affected with autism, a social and communication disorder, a post-secondary education will become a strong possibility. In this talk, you will hear from Kerry Magro a 26-year-old adult who was nonverbal at 2 and a half and diagnosed with autism at 4 who has just recently graduated with a Masters Degree in Strategic Communication and Leadership from Seton Hall University and today is a national motivational speaker. In Kerry’s talk he will discuss his experiences navigating education, creating a path both, to and through, college. This will include time management, managing independence, advocating for your needs and much more! Above all, Kerry will share how there is a great deal of potential for those with autism to thrive in college and give other examples of individuals who are doing it today. Autism Self-Advocate Kerry Magro was diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS), a form of autism, at age 4. Growing up, he dealt with many difficulties in regards to sensory integration, motor problems, overall social interaction and communication delays. After being re-diagnosed at 5, Kerry’s future was very uncertain. Now 26 years old, he has completed his Masters in Strategic Communications at Seton Hall University. Along with this Kerry is also a columnist for Autism after 16, a life coach, motivational speaker, and an aspiring writer. In July 2013 Kerry released his first book, “Defining Autism from the Heartâ€. In 2012 he finished consulting on his first motion picture project in Joyful Noise, which made 30 million domestically and is now currently working on the indie-film “Jane Wants a Boyfriend.†He also recently founded a Non-Profit Organization focused on post secondary scholarships and advocacy for the disabled community. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
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