Thinking Outside the Box: Neurodivergent Cooke Scholars

Many neurodivergent individuals have what are referred to as “invisible disabilities” – conditions that are not obvious to those around them, but which greatly impact the way they think and learn. The hidden nature of these brain differences can make it difficult to obtain an accurate diagnosis, yet it is estimated that between 15 – 20% of the world population is neurodivergent. To learn more about how to navigate the world as someone who is uniquely wired, we talked to seven Cooke Scholars and Alums about their experiences with conditions ranging from Complex PTSD to ADHD to Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE).

Cooke Alum Jonathan Finnerty shared that when he was growing up, he excelled as a student except for when it came to math. He was put into remedial courses and disciplined but nothing seemed to help his math scores; the conclusion made by school administrators was that he was simply lazy. He was sent to vocational school because it was assumed he would be unable to take the SATs and therefore unable to attend college. It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that a guidance counselor picked up on his neurodiversity and suggested he get tested for Dyscalculia, which is the inability to recognize math sequences and number-based information. His diagnosis helped reaffirm to the adults around him that he was not lazy and opened the door for him to eventually pursue his college degree and work in higher education.

Other neurodivergent Scholars and Alums we spoke to experienced similar setbacks in their early education due to their learning challenges. Transfer Scholar Sam Roberts enrolled in college three different times and had to leave each time due to her undiagnosed Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD). Graduate Scholar Monica Botwinick dropped out of high school her junior year because her undiagnosed ADHD and sensory processing disorder made school extremely challenging. Both say that once they were diagnosed, they could finally procure the accommodations and support they needed as neurodivergent students through their universities’ Disability Resource Centers. Sam says the diagnosis changed her life and she now receives straight A’s with the proper supports in place, and Monica is thriving in a dynamic, flexible job with her local government while pursuing her Master’s degree.

Alum Diana Ha was born with a congenital heart defect that research discovered typically leads to learning disabilities in patients. She noticed that she was forgetful and had slower processing speed starting as early as elementary school, but her parents resisted getting her tested for a learning disability because they worried she would be removed from the gifted education program. It wasn’t until high school that Diana convinced her parents that receiving a diagnosis could actually help her learning, and she was diagnosed with ADHD. When the medical translator was explaining to Diana’s parents, who are first generation immigrants, that she had ADHD, they struggled to describe the diagnosis, as there was no such term at the time in Vietnamese. Diana says that even today, she is still educating her family on what it means to be neurodivergent.

Some of the difficulties encountered by our neurodivergent contributors include: short term memory problems, forgetfulness, inability to meet deadlines, time blindness, slower working pace, slower processing speed, distractibility, and boredom. Even positive effects of neurodivergence, like Graduate Scholar Ann Marie Hormeku’s ADHD hyper-focus and “superhuman feats of productivity,” can make life difficult. Ann Marie says she has worked so hard and been so focused at the start of new jobs that her bosses and co-workers develop unrealistic and unsustainable expectations of her, ultimately resulting in burnout for Ann Marie.

*Transfer Scholar Sam Roberts wearing Loop earbuds*

To function in a world not structured for neurodivergent brains, the Alums and Scholars we spoke to have developed some clever strategies to overcome their unique obstacles. Graduate Scholar Shannon Conner, who is diagnosed with major neurocognitive disorder, adjustment disorder unspecified, and CTE, finds that engaging in tactile activities, like highlighting, tapping, or sucking a lollipop, while learning helps her brain create new pathways. She also utilizes a notebook organized with colors and symbols to help maintain executive function. To help her more easily remember new material, Diana Ha prefers to “chunk” the information she is learning into smaller pieces, then progressively study those pieces over time and build on it, and she also writes everything down. For Sam Roberts, reduced distraction environments are key. If she is studying at home, she needs to be in a room by herself with a closed door and silence in order to focus. When studying at a café, she uses small Loop earplugs that help block out noise. Graduate Scholar Carolina Andrada, who has ADHD, said she has “slapped Tiles and Apple AirTags on every significant item I owned so I would never lose precious hours to being locked out, cashless, or otherwise in trouble.”

In addition to challenges, many people attribute their neurodivergence with giving them unique strengths, like greater creativity and empathy. Jonathan Finnerty now works with students at Princeton University and says that not only did having Dyscalculia force him to become stronger in other areas of academics, like writing, but going through the experience of being treated as a lazy, incompetent student actually made him want to support other young people like him. He says, “Those experiences give me a lot of empathy in teaching students and helping people realize their true potential.” Similarly, Sam Roberts, who is in school to become a social worker, shares that, “I have a lot of empathy for people who are struggling because I’ve been through so much, and I suffered before my diagnosis. Now I want to help others who are just surviving start thriving.”

One thing uniting these neurodivergent Cooke Scholars and Alums is their resilience. To overcome the obstacles they have faced requires true determination and grit. Here, they share some advice for any other neurodivergent Scholars and Alums in our community who may be reading this:

“Utilize disability services!!! Do not feel shame or any other ableist way about yourself!!! You deserve your education and you have the right to make it happen on terms that suit your needs. FIND YOUR TRIBE and be with them as you can even if only on social media.” – Shannon Conner

“You're not just a collection of "buts." "Bright, but..." "committed, but..." "caring, but..." You are ok the way you are. No "buts." And that's enough. There is a place for people like us despite what growing up in a world designed for others may have had you believe.” – Ann Marie Hormeku

“You have to advocate for yourself. If you don’t feel comfortable advocating for yourself, get your therapist to get involved or get a friend to come to your therapy with you. Also, take your meds!” – Sam Roberts

“Embrace being neurodivergent. Yes, we’re different, but it’s a good different.” – Diana Ha

“Set a reminder to take your medicine. Buy a bookstand for your planner so it's always open and staring you in the face at your desk. Buy Tiles - so many Tiles- and stick them onto all your most important possessions.” – Carolina Andrada

“Embrace the diagnosis. Stop trying to change yourself to fit into your surroundings, make your surroundings change for you. Connect with the resource center on campus that handles accommodations and set them up if you haven’t already. Lastly, invest in noise canceling headphones.” - Monica Botwinick

“Don’t let anyone put you in their box. If you can liberate yourself mentally, you can do whatever you want. Very often whatever makes us neurodivergent is something we can play to our own strength and make us into something far more than anyone could ever imagine. It’s not what makes us different, it’s what makes us unique.” – Jonathan Finnerty

We are deeply grateful to the Scholars and Alums who agreed to share their stories with us for this post: Jonathan Finnerty, Diana Ha, Samantha Roberts, Ann-Marie Hormeku, Shannon Conner, Carolina Andrada, and Monica Botwinick

Cooke FoundationMay 31, 2023