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Writing Studio

Neurodiversity-focused Writing Support

Beginning with a pilot year in 2025-2026, the Writing Studio is excited to expand its services to include a new neurodiversity-focused writing support offering.

Affirming Neurodiversity at the Writing Studio

At Vanderbilt, we foster a culture of curiosity and academic exploration within an inclusive community that embraces diversity and diverse perspectives. At the Writing Studio, that commitment to diversity and inclusivity includes neurodiversity.

We recognize that neurodiverse students bring unique strengths, perspectives, and talents that enhance our collective learning environment, and we value that no two minds learn, think, and grow in exactly the same way.

Through our new neurodiversity-focused writing support, we aim to tailor the Writing Studio support open to all Vanderbilt students in ways that honor these differences and foster individual growth within a neuroinclusive space. Our goal is to empower all students to thrive academically and personally, embracing their distinctive pathways to success.

Neurodiversity-Focused Writing Support

The purpose of this image is to promote the Writing Studio's referral-based neurodiversity-focused writing support offering, the details of which can be found on the webpage found at the following URL: https://www.vanderbilt.edu/writing/neurodiversity/Referral-based Support

Through the Writing Studio’s neurodiversity-focused writing support, students can be matched with a Writing Consultant with whom they will hold regular writing consultation sessions—establishing a recurring appointment schedule (weekly, biweekly, etc.) depending on need and availability. The goal is an ongoing consultant-client relationship intended to foster familiarity, trust, and continuity in individualized support.

To be eligible for neurodiversity-focused writing support, students must be registered with the Office of Student Access Services (SAS). They can then seek a referral from their Access Specialist.

When a student requests a referral, the Access Specialist verifies that the student is registered with SAS with a documented neurodivergence, including but not limited to learning differences/disabilities (LD), ADHD, or autism.

Support without a Referral

Are you interested in this support, but not registered with Student Access Services? The  most important thing to remember is that all students can schedule and received individualized writing support through the Writing Studio without an SAS referral. Alongside the formal referral-based offering described above, we have begun efforts to train all of our Writing Consultants on ways that all of our services and spaces can be neuroinclusive and accessible.

To learn more about Writing Studio support open to all students, visit the relevant page below:

Questions?

Questions about the referral process or the Writing Studio’s neurodiversity-focused writing supports can be directed to Nauff Zakaria, Academic Support Coordinator and Specialist in Neurodiversity-focused Writing Support.

Additional Campus Resources

What’s next for neurodiversity-focused support?

After our pilot year, the neurodiversity-focused support will extend to the science, math, and economics tutoring offered through Tutoring Services in 2026-2027.