“I love that EMU is very friendly and like a small college while having so many resources and teachers who focus on teaching and open to supporting diversity,” said Professor Sally Burton-Hoyle.
She is no stranger to diversity as she assists students on the autism spectrum as one of the advisors to the College Supports Program at EMU. Burton-Hoyle also teaches graduate classes in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders.
Her graduate program trains teachers and others to become professionals in the area of ASD. Specifically during this semester she is teaching Issues and Interventions in ASD (SPAI630) and Visual Supports in ASD (SPAI650).
Burton-Hoyle says that the one thing she enjoys most about her subject is, “Supervising the capstone projects of grad students and assisting the student teachers in the ASD program.”
As one of the advisors to the College Supports Program, she spends a lot of time working with the grad students who serve as mentors for students in the CSP. The CSP came about as the result of efforts between herself and Pamela Lemerand.
“Together we developed the program,” said Burton-Hoyle. “Six years ago we had one student and now there are over twenty students from across the country.”
The program provides academic and social support to students that have been admitted to EMU who have ASD.
She also said, “We work with professors, dorm staff and other pertinent offices on campus to help students with ASD become successful while developing responsibility towards their own support as they enter the workforce.”
Burton-Hoyle states that one of her favorite things about teaching at EMU is “finding out my former students are doing wonderful things in their schools and communities for people with ASD.”
As a professor who both teaches about ASD and supports those who are on the autism spectrum, she is a great source of knowledge regarding ASD and a close friend to those who are in the CSP and work with her on a daily basis.
