TPP 391: Perry LaRoque on What Neurodivergent Students Need to Successfully Navigate College

If you have a child approaching their college years, this episode is packed with invaluable advice. I’m thrilled to have Dr. Perry LaRoque here to discuss what neurodivergent students need to successfully navigate college and his book Taking Flight: College for Students with Disabilities, Diverse Learners and Their Families.

So, what does a “successful college experience” actually mean? Perry broke it down for us, emphasizing the importance of the core values of awareness, regulation, expression, and dynamic determination. Perry also highlighted the essential skills for independence, such as frustration tolerance and the importance of seeking help when needed, and explored some of the unexpected challenges that students might face, from managing dorm life to maintaining proper sleep hygiene. We also discussed the various resources available on most college campuses and how students can maximize these support services and why meeting with professors can be a game-changer for a struggling student.

We all know that our kids are way more than the grades they get at school and this conversation is full of insights into how to approach the college experience more holistically. I hope you enjoy it!

About Dr. Perry LaRoque

Dr. LaRoque is the founder and president of Mansfield Hall. He earned his doctorate in special education from the University of Wisconsin and has served in a variety of leadership roles serving at-risk youth and people with disabilities. Before returning for his doctoral work, Dr. LaRoque worked in an assisted-living care facility for adults with intellectual disabilities and taught special education in several public schools. Upon returning for his doctoral studies, he continued his service in the field and served as a teacher and mental health specialist in a children’s residential psychiatric program at Meriter Hospital in Madison, WI.

In addition to writing, Dr. LaRoque is also the co-founder of the College STEPS Program, a non-profit with a mission of providing post-secondary education to students with developmental disabilities in various locations across the East Coast.

Dr. LaRoque has served as an Adjunct Professor at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and University of New Hampshire and as an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Potsdam. He is published in several major education journals for his work on educating students with disabilities and has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Dr. LaRoque also served on the Vermont Special Education Advisory Council, which is an appointed position by the Governor. Most recently, he was an Associate Professor and the Special Education Program Director at Johnson State College in Vermont, where he was instrumental in creating the first dual-certification Elementary Education program in Vermont and also started the Think College Program at Johnson State College.

Things you'll learn

• What a “successful college experience” actually means
• The role that the values of awareness, regulation, expression, and dynamic determination play in a student’s ability to thrive at university
• Why developing essential skills for independence, such as frustration tolerance and seeking help, is crucial for
• What some of the challenging areas are for students that they may not be anticipating, including dorm life, sleep hygiene, and more
• What types of resources are available on most college campuses and how students can take advantage of support services
• Why meeting with professors can make all the difference for a struggling student

Resources mentioned

• Dr. Perry Laroque’s website
• Taking Flight: College for Students with Disabilities, Diverse Learners and Their Families by Perry Laroque, PhD
• Mansfield Hall
• Virtual Hall
• Top College Consultants (Eric Endlich’s website)
• Eric Endlich on Gap Year Experiences for Neurodivergent Students (Tilt Parenting podcast)
• College Steps
• Think College

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