Eastern Alumna to Volunteer in China with Global Autism Project
Willimantic, CT (09/10/2018) — Eastern Connecticut State University alumna Brielle Heinl '13 has been selected to participate in a Global Autism Project in China in July 2019. One of only four people selected from hundreds of applicants, Heinl is currently working on her master's degree in Psychology and Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University.
The Global Autism Project's mission is to support individuals with autism to reach their full potential, no matter where they live. China currently does not have a method for preliminary autism screening and effective intervention measures. There is also a shortage of teachers and clinicians, leading to a lack of services for children with autism.
Heinl will be volunteering at Huicong School in Nanchang, China, for two weeks in July 2019. Huicong provides 1:1 services for children with autism in a classroom setting and currently serves 128 students. "Huicong was founded by a mother of a child with autism," explained Heinl. "The mother continues to be a passionate advocate for children with autism throughout Nanchang and all of China, where there is an urgent need for increased awareness of autism and access to services."
Heinl's career goal is to become a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA) and serve children with autism in a school system. She has been working in the field since graduating from Eastern, while earning her master's degree and logging the required supervision hours to sit for the BCBA exam. She will be completing her degree in March 2019.
"Attending Eastern shaped who I am and how I work with individuals with autism," said Heinl. "Classes at Eastern are where my love for psychology and ABA began. Thanks to an exceptional Psychology Department, I was able to hold two amazing internships within the field of psychology. My professors supported my passion in the field and helped me gain as much experience as possible."
Heinl must raise funds to support her trip and seeks to raise at least $5,000. To contact her, visit https://www.facebook.com/brielle.heinl or email brielleheinl@hotmail.com. Heinl's fundraising page can be found at https://www.crowdrise.com/o/en/campaign/skillcorps-china-july-2019/briellecadrin. The Global Autism Project website is at www.globalautismproject.org.
Written by Ed Osborn
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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 5,300 students annually at its Willimantic campus and satellite locations. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 26 other states and 20 other countries. A residential campus offering 40 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in an array of applied learning opportunities. Ranked the 25th top public university in the North Region by U.S. News and World Report in its 2018 Best College ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review eight years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.
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