By day, 15-year-old Violette Wallace is a typical high school student who takes classes, participates in clubs, and after-school activities. By night, she is a student at Empire State University jumping ahead of the curve and taking classes online.

Wallace’s journey began at Columbia Greene Community College where she started taking classes at just 12 years old. Eventually, she found Empire State University and began her journey here. Wallace said she chose the university because of the support offered for students with autism. The university was designated as an autism supportive college in 2022 by the Anderson Center for Autism.

“Sometimes people underestimate me and, as a person on the spectrum, being on an autism friendly campus is really helpful,” Wallace said. “I chose SUNY Empire because there’s a multitude of online classes that fit into my schedule.” 

Read more.