Dr. Temple Grandin to Speak at Red Skelton Performing Arts Center

On Nov. 7, famous autism advocate and animal scientist Dr. Temple Grandin will be speaking on campus at the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center. The event will start at 11:00 a.m. Dr. Grandin’s speech, “Helping Students with Different Kinds of Minds Be Successful,” will help to educate teachers, students, and others about autism. 

According to STEP Director, Angie Crabtree, the purpose of this event is to “help teachers educate people with autism” and “to assist people with autism be successful” along with “providing education to advocates and supporters of people with autism.” 

The VU STEP Program and Education Departments of the Humanities College and College of Social Science, Performing Arts, and Communication are helping to fund the event. Donations have been received from United Way and Old National Bank as well. The STEP and Education departments will be at the event selling T-shirts and sensory neck wraps which were constructed by students majoring in Family and Consumer Sciences. 

Tickets to this event are free to everyone who wants to attend, but they will be distributed on a first-come first-serve basis. Tickets for this event will become available on Oct. 7. Call the Red Skelton box office for tickets at (812)-888-4039. In the event of an overflow of attendees in the Performing Arts Center, the Jefferson Student Union will be reserved and Dr. Grandin’s event will be livestreamed.  

Dr. Temple Grandin has lived her own journey with autism and has spoken about her troubles with bullies in her younger life. Dr. Grandin is a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. In addition, Dr. Grandin has written many books in the past that cover the topic of autism and other mental diagnoses. Grandin is also known for writing multiple animal and livestock books as well.  For more information, visit her website at https://www.templegrandin.com/.