WKU PBS awarded grant for their Student Employment Fellowship Program

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded over 900,000 dollars to four locally owned and operated media stations to develop new educational media for youth.

Western Kentucky University's Public Broadcasting was awarded $246,863 for their program.

WKU, in partnership with the Western Kentucky University Suzanne Vitale Clinical Education Complex, established the David Brinkley Student Employment Fellowship Program for WKU students with an autism spectrum disorder.

"So we partner with them and have a great collaborative relationship on helping these students and getting them transitioned to adulthood in the workforce," said Molly Swietek, Development Manager, WKU PBS.

The fellowship provides training and supports the advancement of WKU students with ASD.

"I am very passionate about helping students who are diagnosed with ASD. There are a lot of services that they transition out of when they transition to adulthood. So to be able to provide just one more stepping stone to help provide a service for them to gain experience is something that we are all very proud of," added Swietek.

It also allows WKU Public Broadcasting with an opportunity to learn from the students' neuro-diverse perspectives on how to generate content for and by students with ASD.

WKU PBS will evaluate ASD inclusion efforts and determine the best practices for integrating ASD employees into the station's local workforce.

WKU PBS began its fellowship program 6 months ago and they currently have 5 students in the program.