My name is Justin Britten, and I am a rising junior and a transfer student from Raritan Valley Community College. I am transferring to Rutgers University in the Fall as a student of the School of Communications and Information. As a college student with a disability, I have dealt with struggles in academic settings, but I have learned strategies and resources to utilize that have helped greatly. At the age of 3, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, which is on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. The disability has affected my ability to deal with stress and anxiety effectively, and it has led me to get overwhelmed easily, especially in something as rigorous as the school environment. In early education, like Elementary and Middle School, I would participate in special classes for kids like me who had similar disabilities, and those classes that early on would help shape me into who I am today, and made me embrace my disability. I would have an aide by my side in school to help me manage heavy workloads, and in the end, it helped me massively excel. I utilized my special 504 plan to get 3 major things established for my classes: time and a half on exams, a specialized testing environment where there were few distractions, and the ability to sit closer to the front of the class to connect with the teacher better. In terms of college, my 504 plan carried over, and I was able to establish my needs for the first time as an adult. Raritan Valley Community College helped me greatly by making sure that all plans came over from high school and making sure I got the help I needed to excel in school. As a member of the RVCC Honors College and having to deal with higher-level classes, the accommodations were extremely helpful in helping me achieve my academic goals. I graduated Raritan Valley Community College Summa Cum Laude, being added to the Deans and Presidents List multiple times, and with a 3.9 GPA. As I continue my journey at Rutgers University, I plan on utilizing my resources to the fullest extent and connecting with the Office of Disability Services to make sure I get the help I need that will make me succeed. Ultimately, my Asperger's diagnosis has taught me to learn more about myself and how to deal with my anxiety and issues over time. I have struggled with anxiety for my entire life, but as a young adult growing up, I have learned to strategize and find solutions for problems. I will grow up living with Asperger's, but based on my help in schools and utilizing my strategies to overcome mass anxiety and stress, I know I will be able to have many accomplishments in the future and beyond.

My name is Justin Britten, and I am a rising junior and a transfer student from Raritan Valley Community College. I am transferring to Rutgers University in the Fall as a student of the School of Communications and Information. As a college student with a disability, I have dealt with struggles in academic settings, but I have learned strategies and resources to utilize that have helped greatly. At the age of 3, I was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, which is on the Autism Spectrum Disorder. The disability has affected my ability to deal with stress and anxiety effectively, and it has led me to get overwhelmed easily, especially in something as rigorous as the school environment. In early education, like Elementary and Middle School, I would participate in special classes for kids like me who had similar disabilities, and those classes that early on would help shape me into who I am today, and made me embrace my disability. I would have an aide by my side in school to help me manage heavy workloads, and in the end, it helped me massively excel. I utilized my special 504 plan to get 3 major things established for my classes: time and a half on exams, a specialized testing environment where there were few distractions, and the ability to sit closer to the front of the class to connect with the teacher better. In terms of college, my 504 plan carried over, and I was able to establish my needs for the first time as an adult. Raritan Valley Community College helped me greatly by making sure that all plans came over from high school and making sure I got the help I needed to excel in school. As a member of the RVCC Honors College and having to deal with higher-level classes, the accommodations were extremely helpful in helping me achieve my academic goals. I graduated Raritan Valley Community College Summa Cum Laude, being added to the Deans and Presidents List multiple times, and with a 3.9 GPA. As I continue my journey at Rutgers University, I plan on utilizing my resources to the fullest extent and connecting with the Office of Disability Services to make sure I get the help I need that will make me succeed. Ultimately, my Asperger's diagnosis has taught me to learn more about myself and how to deal with my anxiety and issues over time. I have struggled with anxiety for my entire life, but as a young adult growing up, I have learned to strategize and find solutions for problems. I will grow up living with Asperger's, but based on my help in schools and utilizing my strategies to overcome mass anxiety and stress, I know I will be able to have many accomplishments in the future and beyond. My picture shows me giving a speech on behalf of the RVCC Foundation at the Scholarship Reception. It was an honor to represent the school in this way, and helped show I am able to deal with a heavy-stress event like this one!