This guest post is by Alex, a pseudonym chosen to protect the applicant’s privacy. Alex is an autistic high school graduate preparing to study sports medicine in college. Alex is applying for the Spring 2026 Making a Difference Autism Scholarship through KFM Making a Difference, the nonprofit founded by Kerry Magro. Kerry was nonspeaking until age 2.5 and was diagnosed with autism at 4.
Autistics on Autism: The Next Chapter shares stories from more than 100 autistic adults about what helped them while growing up and pursuing their dreams. All proceeds support KFM Making a Difference initiatives, including this scholarship program. To invite Kerry to speak at your school, company, or organization, submit an inquiry here.
Alex is a pseudonym. Identifying details have been generalized at the applicant’s request.
By Alex
Throughout my life, I have struggled with the effects of being on the autism spectrum. During my early childhood, I struggled to socialize with classmates and make friends. My parents thought I was not receiving the support I needed in public school, so they decided that I had to change schools. My new school specialized in supporting children with disabilities.
Once I was surrounded by other kids who faced struggles and challenges similar to mine, I began to feel more comfortable and willing to make new friendships. The teachers were also able to help me with my work in a way that made more sense to me. All these factors helped me overcome difficulties that had affected me in the early years of my life.
After nearly ten years at a special education school, I have made accomplishments I otherwise might not have thought possible. I have practiced guitar for nearly two years and feel that I have made good progress. My school created a cafeteria program that allows students to help serve food to others. Participating in the program greatly improved my ability to work with other people and communicate. I have also held a part-time job at a pet-care business, where I help restock items and keep the space organized and safe.
I also participated in a university-based summer transition program for neurodivergent students. We socialized with other participants, took a college course, and experienced life on a college campus. That opportunity helped me think about the next steps I would take after graduating from high school.
I decided that I wanted to continue my education and attend a university. My family and I visited colleges that interested me and narrowed down my choices. I ultimately chose a university where I could study sports medicine. Although I was excited, my parents and I were also nervous. We worried that college might be overwhelming because there would be many more students than at my current school. We also worried that the workload might cause too much stress.
Even though my support school helped me become the person I am today, I concluded that I needed a change of pace to prepare for college. During my senior year, I attended both my local high school and my special education school each day. I took on much more schoolwork than I was used to while also completing a college-level history course.
Those challenges turned out to be worth it. I passed my history course while maintaining good grades at both schools. Although I felt uneasy at the beginning of the school year, I slowly became more comfortable in settings with larger groups of people. The experience helped me become more confident and made me feel that I could handle the workload I may encounter in college.
One challenge that remains is paying tuition, which is the main reason I am applying for this scholarship. I believe I am a strong candidate because I have worked to overcome the adversities associated with my disability while balancing many difficult activities throughout my life.
Kerry Magro, a professional speaker and best-selling author who is also autistic, founded KFM Making a Difference in 2011 to help autistic students receive scholarship support for post-secondary education. Help us continue this work by making a tax-deductible donation here.
You can also invite Kerry to speak at your next event by submitting an inquiry here. Kerry speaks with schools, businesses, government agencies, colleges, nonprofits, parent groups, and conferences on autism, employment, college success, mental health, inclusion, and bullying prevention.
