Meet Korbin, an Aspie with Real Vision

For the past several years I have enjoyed being a member of the Advisory Board at Drexel University for their DASP program (Drexel Autism Support Program).  As one of the only members on this Board from outside the university, I enjoy contributing to the conversation with information from our school, our faculty and our families.  It is also time well spent when I learn about research that is going on at the Drexel Autism Institute, hear about new ways that Drexel is working with its neuro-diverse students, and meet really bright, talented and enthusiastic folks who want to create new opportunities for students like those at Hill Top as they head out into the world.

One of the board members is Korbin. He is currently a Master's level student at Drexel in the College of Laboratory Animal Science. Not only does he bring the perspective of living on the spectrum to the Advisory Board but he also is the founding President of Drexel's own Neurodragons.  This is an organization of fellow students and faculty throughout the university and who are interested in celebrating the diversity of others and the different ways they learn.

In a Skype interview recently, Korbin shared a bit of his story with me. I thought it is something that others would enjoy and perhaps find inspiration in what he has accomplished.

Korbin attended public high school in Lancaster County.  He studied in all regular education classes...many of which were AP classes.  Science and foreign language classes were the easiest for him.  The most difficult part of high school was making friends.  He was very uncomfortable in social situations.  However, he didn't learn why until 2011 when he turned 19 and diagnosed with autism.

After graduation from high school, Korbin tried several colleges....and much like the story of the Three Bears, one was too large and one was too small.. and then there was one that was just right.  Korbin graduated from the University of Findlay in Ohio which is very well known for their pre-vet concentration in animal science.  Korbin's interest is not in small animals or farm animals.  He is interested in getting his doctoral degree in veterinary medicine as a conservation vet to work with great apes which are found in Asia and Africa.  He has never traveled to either continent yet but he has studied these animals for a long time and knows this is where he wants to spend his life.

Having already told me about high school and undergraduate school I asked him about graduate school.  Making friends is easier for him now.  He said that it is because the program he is in is so small (his exact words were, "teeny, tiny") that the students know each other and are friends.  They are all in the same classes.  He is also the President of the GSA (Graduate Students Association).  This has him working with many different students.

Just last year he was approached by the University to serve as the founding president for an organization that they wanted to start that would draw attention and build understanding for neurodiversity on campus.  They knew about him because he had been tutoring students in chemistry and biology at the DASP Center.

He says he does all of this extra-curricular work because he is very passionate about neurodiversity.  "It is good to be on the spectrum."  He is proud of the work they have done in Neurodragons so far.  They have raised awareness through a number of events around the campus.  He says one of his biggest struggles is to plan the Neurodragon board meetings because everyone's schedule is so different it is hard to find the right times so that everyone can attend.

I asked Korbin what he might have for advice about life after high school.  He said, "The best thing I can say to your students is to not let anyone tell you, 'No.'  People in high school and then in college told me I couldn't become a veterinarian and that I should re-evaluate my goals... But I didn't listen to them and I kept going."

He told me that his future is exciting.  "This May, I walk with my class at graduation and then I do my internship this summer at the Yerkes Primate Center at Emory University in Atlanta Georgia.  Once that has been completed, I can head off to medical school."  He has already been accepted to Ross University in the Caribbean and has been waitlisted by two other universities here in the States.

My last question as we were closing up our conversation was, "What else should you tell me to share with our families?"  He thought for a minute and then said, "Tutoring is your friend.  Tell folks that they need to always keep asking questions, go to your Teaching Assistant or Professor when you don't understand.  Don't let time go by when you don't understand because it will pile up on you.  This is especially true with science and math.  If you wait to ask questions, it will come back to you later.  Ask questions, ask lots of questions."

Since this interview was done by Skype, I asked if he could send me a photo of himself to be included in this post.  He hesitated and then responded that he thought he could.  I asked why he hesitated and he responded by holding up his wrist and said, "the surgery and cast has prevented me from taking showers for a couple more days and I don't think I look as professional as I should."  (See moms, there is hope in the future for hygiene to become a priority.)

I laughed and said that I thought he looked like any other college student I had seen....he smiled and said, "okay, I will send you a picture." 

Korbin is an upbeat and positive guy.  He is a student with drive and a real passion for his career and for his learning differences is truly an inspiration.  He makes anyone who learns of his story really proud to have met him.  It is our hope that we can have Korbin visit Hill Top and share his story with some of our students this spring.