Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services
The Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Services program strives to reimagine a campus culture where autistic students are considered when designing classes, events and opportunities, their individual strengths are valued, and everyone is equipped to support student success.
On the Spectrum? Join a Community That Gets It.
- Individualized – Every student’s strengths, needs and goals are unique. That’s why we offer personalized coaching sessions.
- Community-Driven – We foster a sense of belonging through regular social events, Introverts Unite! meetups and engaging workshops.
- Celebratory – Our Autism Culture and Pride board, led by autistic students, plans events that promote advocacy, appreciation and change.
- Reciprocal – Our comentorship model allows peer mentors to learn with autistic students, not just support them.
Group Workshops
Topics include:
- Notetaking
- Study skills and tips
- Accountability groups
- Time-management strategies
- Social Q&A
- Nutrition
- Role-playing
Wellness
- Nutrition and cooking
- Exercise
- Stress management
- Burnout and recovery support
- Emotional regulation tools
- Referrals to counseling department
One-to-One Coaching with Graduate Assistants and Student Workers
- Individual support for your goals
- Help planning, organizing and prioritizing
- Academic troubleshooting
- Accountability
- Burnout and recovery
- Advocacy advice
Events
- Autistic Culture and Pride Club
- Introverts Unite! meetings
- Parties for both introverts and extroverts
- Field trips
- Student-led occasions
Peer Mentors
- Autistic or nonautistic peer mentors
- College tips
- Campus tours
- Friendship
Recommendations
- We can tell you what we recommend, but it's up to you to take the action!
- You are encouraged to try something new that your coach suggests.
We recognize that many autistic individuals have spent their lives navigating a nonautistic world. Too often, they have been pressured to conform to systems that don't fit. Together, we aim to codesign better pathways through communication, education and meaningful action — aligned with South Dakota State University's values of collaborative community, educational innovation, opportunities for all and excellence.
Cost: Free for şŁ˝ÇÖ±˛Ąapp students, plus you can get a scholarship for involvement.
“Sometimes I come to the workshops because there is no pressure to talk, but I can be with other people like me.”
“I’m happy this program is here because I was lonely last year.”
"This is the only place I can go to on campus and show up as my true self."
What is autism?
Scores of people have different things to say about this.
Amy Laurent, a development psychologist and occupational therapist, and Jacquelyn Fede, an autistic self-advocate and a developmental psychologist, (2024) argue that an autistic person is any person who was diagnosed with autism or any person who identifies as being autistic.
We know that many autistics are misdiagnosed, missed completely or cannot afford the evaluation, so we not only support those with a formal diagnosis, but also those who self-identify.
When certain students who receive services from Lucas P. Wintrode Autism Support Serivces were asked to describe autism, they said:
- Not a different language, but a different dialect
- Sensation aversion
- Affinity for learning
- Weird, in a good way
- Strong sense of justice
- Lonely, until I learned I like solitude
- Logic-driven, but people and society aren’t logical
- Being locked out of things
- Hyperfixations
- Buying multiple sets of the same clothes
- “Read the room?! Where’s the book?”
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, deficit model defines autism as a person with deficits in the areas of social communication and interaction, along with restricted repetitive patterns of behavior. These components can take on a variety of forms, but the most common presentations are challenges with social communication, interpersonal relationships and repetitive patterns of behavior.
What are other symptoms of autism?
Symptoms of autism can vary from birth through adulthood. According to the National Health Service, some common signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder in adults include:
- Difficulty understanding what others are thinking or feeling.
- Experiencing significant anxiety in social situations.
- Finding it hard to make friends or preferring to be alone.
- Seeming blunt, rude or uninterested in others without intending to.
- Struggling to express emotions or say how you feel.
- Taking things very literally — for example, not understanding sarcasm or phrases like "read the room."
- Relying on a consistent daily routine and becoming anxious if it changes.
Other signs may include:
- Difficulty understanding social "rules," such as not talking over people.
- Avoiding eye contact or feeling uncomfortable with physical touch.
- Noticing small details, patterns, smells or sounds that others might not.
- Having an intense interest in specific subjects or activities.
- Preferring to carefully plan things before taking action.
- Experiencing sensory fascinations and/or aversions.
- Executive functioning challenges.
If you think you might be autistic, reach out to a professional specializing in adult autism diagnosis.
To receive a diagnosis as an adult:
- Reach out to a qualified professional – Contact a psychologist, psychiatrist or neuropsychologist who specializes in diagnosing autism in adults.
- Discuss your concerns – Share your thoughts and concerns about potential autistic traits.
- Undergo an evaluation – This typically involves detailed interviews, questionnaires and more.
- Provide developmental history – You may be asked to provide information about your childhood development to help with the assessment.
For education students:
Autism Education Week Aug. 18-21, 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Sign up: email Kathleen Melville
- Holistic support for the autistic students in your future classrooms
- Education strategies that work for this amazing population
- Universal Design for Learning
- Behavior support and education
- Get paid to learn! $300
