{"id":655282,"date":"2025-05-29T11:14:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T15:14:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/?p=655282"},"modified":"2025-05-29T17:26:52","modified_gmt":"2025-05-29T21:26:52","slug":"neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\/","title":{"rendered":"Neurodivergent Rochester undergraduates mentor the next generation"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2><strong>The University\u2019s chapter of the national program Eye to Eye engages and uplifts area middle schoolers with learning differences.<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s Wednesday morning at Rochester Prep Middle School\u2014time for another classroom visit from a group of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu.\/\">University of Rochester<\/a> students.<\/p>\n<p>The impromptu questions start immediately.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s college like?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo I get to live on my own?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you have a roommate?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s your favorite class?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The undergraduates patiently answer the questions and then formally begin another Eye to Eye session at the charter school, located about three miles from the University\u2019s River Campus.<\/p>\n<p>The mentors are members of the University\u2019s chapter of the national nonprofit peer mentoring program run by the <a href=\"https:\/\/thendalliance.org\/\">Neurodiversity Alliance<\/a>. Neurodivergent refers to\u00a0someone whose brain functions differently from the average or &#8220;neurotypical&#8221; person.\u00a0It&#8217;s an umbrella term encompassing a range of neurological variations, including conditions like autism, ADHD, and dyslexia.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_655352\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-655352\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-655352 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye1.jpg\" alt=\"A University of Rochester mentor and student sit at a classroom table working on a project, surrounded by other students and posters.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye1-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye1-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye1-660x440.jpg 660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-655352\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>EYE TO EYE:<\/strong> Geneva McLain \u201925 works with Vincent Igho-Akiti during a recent visit to Rochester Prep Middle School. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>College students with those learning differences work to improve the educational experiences of younger students who face similar challenges. Eye to Eye was established in 1998 by a group of Brown University students with learning differences. Today, there are 30 chapters across the United States\u201420 in high schools and 10 in universities. Rochester\u2019s chapter was created in 2016.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re trying to help the students in this special education classroom understand the way that their brains work,\u201d says Jenna Savino \u201926, Rochester\u2019s Eye to Eye chapter president and a molecular genetics major from Bergen County, New Jersey. \u201cAll of the University students who serve as mentors are also neurodivergent, giving the middle schoolers someone to relate to and be motivated by. We try to show them that college and various career paths are all achievable for people with these learning differences. If we can do it, so can they.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Building self-esteem through arts-based projects<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/ldaamerica.org\/lda_today\/the-state-of-learning-disabilities-today\/\">Learning Disabilities Association of America<\/a>, one in five students in the United States has learning or attention challenges. Eye to Eye mentors help younger students understand their unique way of learning through programs that build self-esteem and the skills needed to become self-advocates and, potentially, future college students.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_655372\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-655372\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-655372 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye2.jpg\" alt=\"Close-up of a student\u2019s reflection in a mirror while writing on a green worksheet during a classroom activity.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye2.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye2-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye2-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye2-660x440.jpg 660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-655372\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>SELF-REFLECTION:<\/strong> Rochester Prep student Marco Colesis is reflected in a values mirror project that he was working on with student volunteers from the University of Rochester&#8217;s chapter of Eye to Eye. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Approximately five Rochester students visit Prep six times each semester for an hour, working with middle schoolers on arts-based projects that allow them to create a project and then present it to their classmates. The Rochester students can vary by week, but the goal remains the same: By creating art\u2014and sharing the results\u2014the hope is that each student\u2019s self-esteem and social meter expand.<\/p>\n<p>Past assignments have included working as a team to build a tower using pipe cleaners, decorating masks that reflect each student\u2019s emotions, and creating paper fortune tellers with self-regulation strategies.<\/p>\n<p>Chapter vice president Sreejato Chatterjee \u201926, a computational biology and data science double major from Rockville, Maryland, says the fortune teller assignment served a specific purpose. \u201cThe idea was that students would go through specific emotions in the fortune teller,\u201d he says, \u201cand we would teach strategies on how to control these emotions, like calming down or talking to a friend if you feel angry or sad.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Meetings that \u2018make us feel inspired\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>On this Wednesday, the topic is personal values. Prep students are asked to list the people and things in life that are most precious to them, and then present their list to the class. The answers range from family and pets to basketball, food, and friends. \u201cMy dream is to play in the NBA (National Basketball Association),\u201d student Daniel Adams says. \u201cIf that falls through, I want to be a science teacher.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That latter dream might have been as improbable as the first if not for the support provided by programs like Eye to Eye. According to the <a href=\"https:\/\/nces.ed.gov\/fastfacts\/display.asp?id=60\">National Center for Education Statistics<\/a>, about 20 percent of students with learning disabilities attend a four-year college or university, and only approximately 11 percent attend graduate school.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_655392\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-655392\" style=\"width: 1000px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-655392\" src=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye3.jpg\" alt=\"A middle school student talks at the front of a classroom with four college students beside him.\" width=\"1000\" height=\"667\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye3.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye3-630x420.jpg 630w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye3-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/inline-eye-to-eye3-660x440.jpg 660w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-655392\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong>CULTIVATING CONFIDENCE:<\/strong> Rochester Prep student Marquez Smith (center)\u2014 flanked by (from left) Zo\u00eb Miles \u201925 (T5), Sree Chatterjee \u201926, Jenna Savino \u201926, and Maddie Bellamy \u201927\u2014presents his work to the class. (University of Rochester photo \/ J. Adam Fenster)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Chatterjee says being part of a program like Eye to Eye when he was younger would have been game-changing. \u201cIt would have allowed me to understand my feelings and emotions and to learn independence and manage issues like anxiety and stress on my own,\u201d he says. \u201cWhat\u2019s amazing is\u00a0I can help others be the best version of themselves. I\u2019m helping younger students have a chance to grow their confidence and uplift themselves in a world where that can be hard to do or navigate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Julie Johns, Prep\u2019s special education coordinator, says the visits from Rochester students give her students a view into the challenges and rewards of college life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been a great addition to our schedule,\u201d Johns says. \u201cOur students really benefit from being able to have conversations with the University students and ask questions about what college and career readiness looks like. Our kids look forward to the program every week.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Delilah Steinmann, program manager of mentoring and special programs for the Neurodiversity Alliance, says Rochester has been a mainstay in the Eye to Eye program for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s been an honor to work with their chapter,\u201d Steinmann says. \u201cIt\u2019s uplifting to see a college that understands the value in bringing this program to life with such energy and excitement. Rochester has also contributed greatly to our network of alumni who stay connected and give back to our current program participants.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For middle-schooler and aspiring professional athlete Adams, the weekly meetings with Rochester students have given him hope. He sees the students as \u201csuccessful role models\u201d who have navigated similar challenges and achieved a major milestone. \u201cIt\u2019s cool to have the older college kids come here,\u201d he says. \u201cIt makes us feel inspired.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The University\u2019s chapter of the national program Eye to Eye engages and uplifts area middle schoolers with learning differences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":672,"featured_media":655332,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[37452],"class_list":["post-655282","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-campus-community","tag-community-engagement"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Neurodivergent Rochester undergraduates mentor the next generation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The University\u2019s chapter of the national program Eye to Eye engages and uplifts Rochester-area middle schoolers with learning differences.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Neurodivergent Rochester undergraduates mentor the next generation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The University\u2019s chapter of the national program Eye to Eye engages and uplifts Rochester-area middle schoolers with learning differences.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"News Center\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-29T15:14:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-05-29T21:26:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.rochester.edu\/newscenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/fea-eye-to-eye-1200x630.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"630\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jim Mandelaro\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jim Mandelaro\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jim Mandelaro\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/35537746af700f24d7e52e350d95b124\"},\"headline\":\"Neurodivergent Rochester undergraduates mentor the next generation\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-29T15:14:15+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-05-29T21:26:52+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1067,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/neurodivergent-rochester-undergraduates-mentor-the-next-generation-655282\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.rochester.edu\\\/newscenter\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2025\\\/05\\\/fea-eye-to-eye.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"community engagement\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Campus &amp; 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