Lone Star College’s Montgomery and Tomball locations are offering programs throughout April for Autism Awareness Month, including speakers and a gallery walk of students' work April 29. The gallery walk will promote the college's lifePATH program, which provides student services to individuals with a variety of executive functioning disabilities, by showing student work and promoting learning about the program from students.
Director of the lifePATH program Montisha Hines-Goosby said the program aims to create a sense of community, a safe space to transition to higher education and help give students a stronger sense of purpose and identity.
In addition, she said the Autism Awareness Month programs further this goal by teaching about disabilities and having speakers share their experiences with autism.
“We have Dr. Daniel Fox, who is a psychologist here in The Woodlands, and he will be talking about neurodiversity,” Hines-Goosby said. “We'll be talking about what is neurodiversity and how to work with neurodiverse students, and he will be providing some strategies not just for students, but also faculty as well.”
Hines-Goosby said the gallery walk April 29 gives the community a chance to learn more about the lifePATH program and see what students have accomplished. The walk will be held in the LSC-Montgomery Building B atrium from 10 a.m.-noon.
“[The gallery walk] is an open house-type of event where the community can come out and learn more about lifePATH as well as have the opportunity to interact with our students,” Hines-Goosby said.
The lifePATH program allows students with disabilities to earn an associate degree while learning industry and academic skills, according to Juan Lebron, dean of instruction at Lone Star College-Montgomery. The program is accepting applications for the fall semester. Students can learn more and apply for the program at www.lonestar.edu/lifepath.htm.
