When Kati Shepardson first stepped into Melissa Norton’s office, it wasn’t just for academic support — it was the start of a partnership rooted in understanding, advocacy and shared vision. As director of Learning and Accessibility Services, Norton saw not just a student navigating the challenges of neurodiversity, but also a leader in the making. Together, they began laying the groundwork for a peer group to give neurodivergent students a space to feel supported.
At Wheaton College, Shepardson earned her M.A. in humanitarian leadership in 2020 and completed a trauma certificate in 2022. She is currently pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at Wheaton. Shepardson is also a neurodivergent student who has worked with Learning and Accessibility Services (LAS) to receive academic accommodations. Neurodivergence refers to variations in the human brain that affect thinking, learning and behavior, often including conditions like autism, Tourette syndrome and dyslexia.
Shepardson frequently discussed the challenges of being a neurodivergent student with Melissa Norton, director of LAS, such as struggling to focus during traditional lectures due to sensory sensitivities and difficulty with unstructured classroom environments. Through these conversations, they began exploring ways to better support students with similar experiences. Their collaboration led to the idea of creating a peer group specifically for neurodivergent students, offering a space designed to be welcoming and sensory-friendly, free from bright lights and loud noises that can often overwhelm neurodivergent individuals…