Chris Bitter (left), Susan Mackoul, Noah Schmidt and Kyle Willoughby (right) at Autism Advocacy Day Event (Ilyse Kanji-Levene)
By Noah Schmidt
As part of Autism Acceptance Month, I attended the 20th annual Autism Advocacy Day on April 8 at the Massachusetts State House. The event, sponsored by The Arc of Massachusetts, brought together advocates, students and supporters from across the state to raise awareness and promote inclusion.
Joining me were fellow Cape Cod Community College student Chris Bitter and our chaperones: Susan Mackoul, coordinator of the Massachusetts Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment Initiative (MAICEI) program, and Kyle Willoughby, an academic coach. The MAICEI program supports students ages 18–22 who continue their education through college classes with guidance from their school district.
As a young adult with autism, this event was a meaningful and inspiring experience. I enjoyed connecting with others on the spectrum and meeting advocates passionate about making a difference. It was also a valuable networking opportunity—I even made a new friend in Chris.
Attending this event felt like a fitting way to cap off my time at Cape Cod Community College. After helping coordinate Autism Acceptance and Neurodiversity Awareness events on campus over the past two years, I was proud to take part in a broader community effort at the state level.
