In early June, the Walla Walla University Office of Belonging hosted Neurodiversity in Higher Education, a professional development event, in partnership with the NAD Diversity Coalition.
“The event was designed to educate faculty and staff and build the foundation for an inclusive campus where all students can thrive,” said Julie Hunt, Disability Support Services specialist. “Cultivating such an environment requires actionable, ongoing strategies and professional development that help educators move beyond theoretical knowledge into everyday practice.”
The event featured three unique sessions led by different expert educators, clinicians, and student support professionals from within and beyond WWU.
The first session, Education for Educators: Professional Development Certificates in Neurodiversity and Mental Health, was led by individuals who had taken one of two professional development training courses. They explained the benefits and takeaways of the training and how they integrated it into their classrooms as instructors.
Emily Tillotson, director of the Bachelor of Social Work program, served as one of this session’s leaders, providing information on the Mental Health First Aid course she had completed. She hopes those who attended this session saw how available and easy to access training actually is.
Another session, Planning for a Neurodiverse Classroom: Universal Design for Learning and Communication Strategies, consisted of presentations by individuals with expertise in the areas of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive approaches, and communication.
These presentations touched on the Universal Design for Learning framework and offered practical strategies to design and deliver information that accommodate diverse cognitive styles. They also explained how this inclusive educational framework acknowledges that every brain is unique and proactively builds flexibility into curricula, teaching methods, and assessments rather than retrofitting accommodations later.
Later, utilizing a discussion panel format, Supporting Student Success: Best Practices for Campus shared how bridging the gap between instructional challenges and student outcomes, and offering strategies for optimizing those outcomes is vital to students and the university.
This panel consisted of Maria Bastien Valenca, dean of education and psychology, a public elementary school special education teacher with autism, and Julie Hunt, Disability Support Services specialist. Attendees learned tips and practices for inclusive and equitable access in education for all students, meant to help remove barriers and empower all students to achieve their educational and personal goals.
“There were many huge takeaways to be had, but I hope individuals learned the importance of focusing on the student, not the content, and acknowledged that the reality is a shift to reach everyone and teach them to engage, express, and empower,” said Hunt.
Hunt called educators “lifelong learners,” and recognized the crucial role professional development events like this one play in education. “Professional development creates a restful, inclusive culture that reduces employee turnover, strengthens cross-functional problem solving and communication, and increases student outcomes holistically. And … it’s fun!”
Posted July 15, 2026.
