Embracing Neurodiversity in Professional Development: Five Resources for Graduate Students

Two months into my internship with the Graduate Student Affairs team at The Graduate School, Dean Bostrom asked me to compile some research on ways that universities can better support and offer professional development resources for neurodivergent and underrepresented graduate students. As someone who doesn’t identify as neurodivergent but who is committed to advancing diversity, equity and inclusion in my professional and personal life, I was excited about the opportunity to learn more about resources available for neurodiverse-identifying individuals. But I also wasn’t sure where to start. It was at this point that I turned to Rachel Coleman, the Director of Career Development and Education with Duke Career Center. Rachel spoke about some of her own experiences in creating initiatives for neurodivergent students and shared a number of available resources. It is through these conversations, my own research, and the opportunity to explore a topic as part of the GSA internship that this blog post came to exist.

Unsurprisingly, my research soon confirmed that most professional environments, including graduate school, are developed for neurotypical populations. In practice, this means that neurodivergent students may be placed at a disadvantage, because they are expected to conform to neurotypical conventions and can’t always use their personal strengths. Graduate students might have experienced this tension in teaching undergraduates who self-identify with ADHD or autism and request accommodation. Undergraduate students as well as graduate students with a neurodivergent diagnosis can seek academic support through Student Disability Access Office (SDAO).

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Professional development activities can present a similar set of challenges for neurodivergent students, because they were often designed for a neurotypical population. Neurodiversity-affirming approaches are an important step toward creating more inclusive professional development experiences. Here are five resources that aim to serve any graduate student who identifies as neurodiverse. (An added bonus: none of them requires a formal diagnosis or disclosure).

1. Job Accommodations Network

The Job Accommodations Network (JAN) includes resources for job seekers, such as presenting examples of work accommodations by condition, and compiling a comprehensive list of federal, state and local resources for neurodivergent employees. Through these resources, students can identify inclusive employers or determine essential aspects of their work environment. Duke’s Career Center advisors have experience using JAN and can help familiarize students with additional tools on the website. Ultimately, the purpose of resources like the JAN, along with guidance from the Career Center, is to support neurodivergent graduate students as they advocate for themselves in the workplace and discover what works best for their unique situation and needs.

2. Neurodiversity Career Summit

The annual (and virtual) Neurodiversity Career Summit allows North Carolina students to connect with neurodiverse-supportive employers. Invited employers represent a range of fields and scope (i.e., federal vs. state) and are all committed to neurodiversity-affirming approaches. Students are encouraged to participate in keynote and panel discussions about neurodiversity disclosure, navigating corporate or freelance employment, and approaching the recruitment process. They can also meet with potential employers in group or individual settings online, depending on their preferences and comfort level. Committed to helping make the summit a welcoming, productive and rewarding opportunity, the Career Center offers support sessions before and after these career events to ensure students feel prepared, comfortable and informed at all parts of the job seeking process.

3. Backstage Pass

Each year, Duke Career Center also hosts an on-campus All-Industry Career Fair in the fall and the spring. This event is organized in a way to make the experience as comfortable and accessible as possible. For example, students can find a map with numbered tables online, where each number corresponds with an employer, which allows students to be more intentional and selective in their participation.

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As part of the All-Industry Career Fair, the Career Center offers a Backstage Pass for students who may want to participate in a smaller group orientation and tour the space with Career Center Advisors before the official fair begins. This Backstage Pass is intended for any student who feels more comfortable in a less stimulating sensory environment and lower-stress situation. Advisors share tips on successfully navigating the career fair or introducing oneself to employers and are available to answer questions. Furthermore, students who participate in the Backstage Pass experience can practice their pitch or even meet with certain employers before the fair begins, allowing them to connect with recruiters in a quieter, calmer setting. 

4. Neurodiversity Connections

Neurodiversity Connections serves to celebrate and support Duke’s neurodivergent community. The group was founded in 2016 by faculty, staff, students and administrators committed to raising awareness and advocate for inclusivity and equity of neurodiversity across campus. Intended as a welcoming space for interdisciplinary collaboration, this group offers a number of resources for both faculty and students on its website. The section curated by student members offers tips for seeking accommodations, provides practical strategies for self-advocacy, and includes information relevant to disclosing neurodiversity. The website also features employers or organizations engaged in neurodiversity-affirming approaches to hiring and employment. This list helps connect students with specific employers or can be used as a springboard for a more extensive job search, where organizations embracing neurodivergent candidates are the target.   

For graduate students who TA, manage labs, or want to feel more equipped to advocate for themselves and undergraduate students, engaging with resources for faculty and staff may also be helpful. Neurodiversity Connections offers suggestions on how to make classrooms more inclusive or support neurodivergent students and provide more information (through videos and documents) about the neurodivergent students’ experiences in higher education.

5. The Clubhouse

While not directly related to advancing professional development, The Clubhouse is a space for Duke students who want to meet new people in smaller groups and a low-pressure environment. This group is not intended as a therapeutic resource; instead, it seeks to facilitate opportunities for students to connect and participate in events. Students can stay for as long (or short!) as they feel comfortable during the monthly meetings. Additionally, The Clubhouse’s website provides a list of sensory-friendly and relaxing locations on campus, a tool that can help students find places of refuge and enjoy a moment to regulate amidst the stress and constant demands of graduate school.

These resources at Duke, facilitated by a number of internal organizations, such as the Career Center, Neurodiversity Connections, SDAO, The Graduate School, and many others, have been developed to support the professional development goals of graduate students who identify as neurodivergent. These resources create community and a sense of belonging, support students’ needs, and—through mentorship, education and engaging with the experiences or perspectives of other neurodivergent folks—encourage students to become better advocates for themselves.

A huge thank you to Rachel Coleman for taking the time to speak with me about these initiatives and for sharing her experiences in supporting neurodivergent students.

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AUTHOR

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Natasza Gardner

Ph.D. student, German Studies

Natasza Gardner is a sixth-year Ph.D. candidate in German Studies and the Graduate Student Affairs Intern in The Graduate School for 2024-25. Her dissertation explores the way twenty-first-century Roma and Sinti literature, theater and film facilitate the creation of non-territorial communities through their distinct formal and structural elements, as well as their theoretical commitments to queer studies, intersectional feminism, and Critical Race Theory.