Here and Now
A Better College Life for Neurodivergent Students in Madison
Clip: Season 2400 Episode 2445 | 7m 5sVideo has Closed Captions
Mansfield Hall is a dorm and community that supports neurodiverse college students.
Mansfield Hall is a dorm and community that supports neurodiverse college students at UW-Madison, Madison College and Edgewood College, offering help with learning and setting up systems for support.
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Here and Now is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Here and Now
A Better College Life for Neurodivergent Students in Madison
Clip: Season 2400 Episode 2445 | 7m 5sVideo has Closed Captions
Mansfield Hall is a dorm and community that supports neurodiverse college students at UW-Madison, Madison College and Edgewood College, offering help with learning and setting up systems for support.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorshipAnd it'll be interesting to see how much does that motivate his Republican that turn off those moderate voters and >> When it comes to college life?
Burlington, Vermont, city of Madison are connected by one house Mansfield Hall tonight, "Here& Now".
Reporter Murv Seymour takes us inside the dorm that provides a one of a kind college experience for students in all three states.
>> I would love a giant MH out front to match the other Greek letters.
>> Nestled on the busy street known as Fraternity Road near UW-Madison.
>> You find a community.
>> Here is a former frat house.
>> We are college housing that is a lot more than just college housing.
>> That is home away from home.
>> You don't just live here.
You thrive here.
>> I'm Ashley.
I'm from Chicago.
The city of Chicago.
And this is Mansfield Hall.
>> Mansfield Hall is a living and learning community that serves college students that are neurodiverse or diverse learners.
It can include someone with ADHD, autism, any kind of learning difference like dysgraphia or dyslexia, processing disorders, anxiety.
>> Oh, here we go.
>> This is brilliant.
Good find.
>> I'm glad I thought of this.
students.
We have students from around the country.
We support students at Madison College, at Edgewood University, and at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
It can look like course planning.
We do student life support, med management, learning how to cook, learning how to make friends, learning how to communicate, executive functioning.
So setting up systems of support for yourself.
>> Because your Edgewood is probably going to be first week.
>> This floor is all bedrooms.
And of course this one is mine.
So come on in.
>> At this super dorm.
>> It's almost like it was written in the stars.
>> As it's sometimes called.
Sure, you'll find plenty of puzzles and games.
>> Oh, okay.
There.
Because they are weighted differently.
That's what changed.
>> But they do business here too.
There are nearly two dozen students here.
Don't just learn to learn more independently.
>> And I just need to see the numbers and how they.
What happens?
Yeah, yeah.
>> You need the steps.
>> They learn life lessons that help them live more independently.
class either.
So I really don't want to have to take something like that again.
>> UW film student Han Schuberth gets one on one help planning her class schedule.
>> Any props and successes of the day.
>> Gavin Speranza leads the weekly community group.
>> Well, yeah, because that turns into 3/6.
>> Isaac Moore works through complex math equations during what's called Stemtown Katy.
>> How did marketing turn out for you?
>> A weekly tutoring session for those who need help with science.
>> You still got a 92, though.
That's awesome.
>> Technology in math.
>> What worked?
Like what?
What helped overcome the testing anxiety.
Just prepared.
>> The staff here are super helpful.
>> Alissa, Sarah, Naomi.
Eric and Koko.
The canine who casually provides therapy for the house as needed.
Are some of the almost two dozen staff at Mansfield Hall.
Isaac Moore tells me he lives with Attention Deficit disorder.
For him, it's hard to focus and stay organized.
>> It never really impacted my school, so there was never any reason to like, change it.
You know, I would still do well on my tests and stuff.
And so it was like, whatever.
But here, like, I really do have to like, you know, I have a schedule and I have like a meeting with Eric once a week to make sure that I'm like, if I have any questions with math, I'm getting those done.
I have like Google calendar now, so all my classes are in there.
So like I get reminders 30 minutes before class.
I have this class on this day.
I have like due dates in my Google calendar and stuff.
I keep my work more organized.
Like it's not just chicken scratch on eight different papers.
>> Mansfield Hall also provides support that helps students transition from living at their house here on Fraternity Row, before they step out into the community, which helps them to step out in the real world to live on their own once they leave college.
>> I moved into a residence hall at Edgewood.
>> Soon, Bennett Davishoff will graduate and live in his first apartment.
He's in what's called the Connections program at Mansfield Hall, designed for students making the transition away from dorm life to living on their own or with a roommate.
>> I think it's going to be very challenging, very tough.
But I'm willing to.
But I'm excited to give it a try because I because I've always wanted to live independently and I have some symptoms of OCD, ADHD, and autism.
And I can be a perfectionist with the way things look in my room.
I like things to look orderly and clean, which is also a good thing, but it can also be hard.
>> What isn't hard?
>> Give a big round of applause for all of our volunteers today that came in volunteering.
Thank you.
>> We don't have chocolate milk right now, but we do have no fat.
I think.
>> The Senior center in Madison is one of many organizations around town where people from Mansfield Hall lend a helping hand every week.
>> Oh yeah.
Definitely.
Where are the milks?
>> Aiden Mattingly and everyone else say giving back helps them get job ready.
>> Bandana person wants salt and pepper.
>> And it helps them gain something else.
>> I'd say the social skills really it really helps with like talking with people.
And I mean like everyone here is really friendly.
>> And some of those skills can go from volunteering, can go out, can be utilized in when applying for jobs.
>> Can give you the troublemaker ticket.
Oh.
>> One of the senior centers lead volunteers Kat Hemming loves to give.
And she loves the crew at Mansfield Hall.
Without the help of Aiden and the others.
>> All right, let's go to the next table.
>> She says they would probably only have two volunteers.
>> Having the volunteers come in, not only do they talk to the to the seniors and it has more interaction.
It's a lot more exciting.
And they really help.
And they're not just I know it helps them, but it helps us as well.
>> I also don't want to take myself out of this class.
>> Yeah, I wouldn't either.
>> Did I tell you all my second exam scores.
>> For your current classes?
No.
Hall is straightforward.
>> To provide equitable access to higher education and to prepare young adults for the world that can be getting a certificate.
It can be getting an associate's, a bachelor's, a master's.
It can be learning to make a friend group for the first time and just try out college courses.
It can be finding something they're passionate about, feeling seen and heard for the first time.
>> Now.
>> For students to make the most out of being part of the Mansfield Hall family.
Kirstin Bowns hopes every one of them will.
>> Lean into it.
We're not writing the script.
We're just supporting their story.
just supporting their story.
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