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Doodle sketch of the Mobile Autism Clinic parked in the Blacksburg Library lot on a fall day.

Virginia Tech partnership at Higher Ed Center expands autism support across Southwest Virginia

Two Virginia Tech projects supported by the Southwest Virginia Higher Education Center are increasing access to autism assessments and helping educators better support autistic students across the region. Read more in this Southwest Virginia Sun article. 

 

Celebrating our SAFE Program Supervisor Dr. Lavinia Uscatescu!

Congratulations to Lavinia who was recently selected by the VT Services for Students with Disabilities Office to receive the Sally Bohland Award for Exceptional Leadership in Access and Inclusion! Lavinia harnesses innovative approaches to serving students with disabilities whom she mentors and teaches. She works extensively behind the scenes to advance access and inclusion at both the university level and also within the community through our Supporting Autism Friendly Environments (SAFE) program. Her commitment, understanding, and service-oriented approach makes her an exceptional leader who fosters a culture we can all admire.

The Sally Bohland Award for Exceptional Leadership in Access and Inclusion is given annually to an instructor or graduating teaching assistant who exemplifies outstanding leadership in accessibility and inclusion for students with disabilities. 

 

Celebrating Dr. Rosanna Breaux!

Congratulations to VTCAR faculty affiliate, steering committee member and director of the VT Child Study Center, Rosanna Breaux on receiving a 2026-2027 ISCE Scholars Award for the project, BRIDGE: Boosting the Success of Students with ADHD with a Chatbot that Supports Executive Functioning. The ISCE Scholars Program supports faculty teams developing grant proposals in the social sciences.

In this innovative collaboration with Sang Won Lee (Computer Science) and Marcus Johnson (School of Education), Rosanna’s team will leverage chatbot technology to provide accessible support for executive functioning skills such as planning, organization, time management, and self-regulation in college students with ADHD.