Attending college is often the first time students must balance living independently while managing complex schedules and building new social networks—factors that have contributed to the ongoing student mental health challenges institutions nationwide continue to confront. For neurodivergent students, navigating new people and unfamiliar environments can make that transition especially difficult.
To help ease their adjustment, Adelphi University has developed a support model designed to foster both inclusion and independence for neurodivergent students. Launched in 2014, the Bridges to Adelphi program incorporates peer mentoring as a central component of its neurodivergent student support services.
The program pairs these students with trained peer mentors who engage with them weekly, such as by attending campus events or exploring student organizations together.
Through structured peer relationships, students have the opportunity to build friendships, strengthen communication skills and gain confidence navigating campus life, said Diana Damilatis-Kull, director of the Bridges to Adelphi program. It also gives neurodivergent students opportunities to practice navigating social situations in real time, helping them develop confidence and stronger connections within the campus community, she said.
“A lot of our students are capable of having successful social relationships and friendships, but sometimes they need that person there to be their transitional support,” said Damilatis-Kull. “That safe person in the room with them, so they know that if they go to a club meeting for the first time, they’re not going into a space where they don’t know anyone.”
She added that for many students—particularly neurodivergent students—transitioning from having the same group of friends and teachers who have known them for years to going to college, where classes and social interactions shift rapidly, can be challenging.
“If you don’t feel like you’re welcomed in a space—especially for neurodivergent people, where a lot of their life is feeling like they’re navigating a world that was not designed for them—trying to build connections with other people makes it so much harder,” she said.
Peer mentor program: Peer mentors are volunteer Adelphi students who meet with students in the program for about one hour each week. Before participating, mentors complete a one-day training program focused on neurodiversity and the importance of building supportive, respectful relationships that encourage autonomy.
Rather than rely on formal instruction, the program emphasizes real-world social engagement. Peer mentors model how to initiate conversations, navigate group settings and participate in campus life in ways that feel authentic and accessible.
Damilatis-Kull said peer mentors not only help students practice social interactions in real time, but also serve as connectors across campus.
“Our peer mentors are extremely involved on campus, so it’s not just what they do for their mentees,” she said. “When they’re involved in certain clubs, they’ll reach out to us and let us know what programming is going on so we can collaborate.”
That coordination, she said, helps more neurodivergent students enter spaces with greater awareness and support.
“So now a lot more neurodivergent students know they’re going into a space where people understand that they may have an invisible disability and what that can look like,” she said.
The model helps promote a sense of belonging that can support student retention while also reflecting a broader shift toward peer-driven support as part of student success strategies, she said.
“Some students have had experiences being bullied or ostracized [in high school] for being seen as students with disabilities or students with special needs,” said Damilatis-Kull. “Because of that, it creates a sense of anxiety when it comes to utilizing support in college.”
“A lot of our students are more willing to engage with their peers,” she added. “There’s something about getting support from students that makes it feel more authentic—about bonding with people who’ve gone through a similar experience fairly recently.”
Why this matters: Damilatis-Kull said participating students have shown increased confidence and a stronger sense of belonging. She added that mentors also benefit by developing leadership and communication skills.
The program also helps reduce stigma surrounding neurodiversity by reinforcing that creating an inclusive campus environment is a shared responsibility, she noted.
“It’s a very rare opportunity to say that you’ve become a key figure in someone’s college life, especially for someone who’s neurodivergent,” said Damilatis-Kull. “A lot of our peer mentors realize, ‘Maybe I need to switch into helping fields such as teaching or counseling or social work or even speech pathology,’ because they see the positive impact they had in building connections with students.”
As colleges continue to grapple with student mental health and retention, Damilatis-Kull said the model offers a practical approach that other institutions could adapt.
“Our students gain a sense of confidence and increased self-esteem, and as a result, they become more socially involved and engaged,” said Damilatis-Kull. “Then what happens is the [neurodivergent] student actually ends up becoming a peer mentor themselves once they become an upperclassman.”
“It’s so critical for students to have a sense of connection,” she added. “It’s really the foundation for belonging. Whether it’s one person or that person and their broader community, it can be a transformative experience for them.”
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