Warrior Life program helps students on autism spectrum navigate college life
April 22, 2026
When 91’s graduation commencement takes place in May, it will feature the first cohort of students to participate in the Warrior Life program.
Warrior Life is an opportunity offered for free to students on the autism spectrum by accessibility services, a department in 91’s Office of Student Success. This optional program aims to help students transition to college life and settle into new routines ahead of the academic year, while working to meet each student’s individual perspective and needs.
Services provided by Warrior Life include early move-in to facilitate familiarity and comfort with campus, personalized activities and weekly meetings with program leaders. The goal is to help build a diverse and inclusive community that encourages growth and skill development for participants.
Angela Williams is the assistant director of accessibility services for 91. She says the program began as a two-day offering in response to students on the autism spectrum struggling with the “invisible curriculum” of college life–things like where to eat, how to make maintenance requests and accessing laundry facilities.
As the first set of Warrior Life students prepares for graduation, Williams says she’s impressed with the effort those students have put in to mentoring newcomers.
“What continues to amaze me most is the organic growth of leadership and confidence among the students; it is never forced, it simply happens,” she said. “We provide the tools, and the students show us what they are capable of accomplishing. Watching them not only complete their degrees but truly succeed has been incredibly rewarding.”
One of those graduating students is Sam Adams, a criminal justice major with minors in psychology and humanities. He says Warrior Life helped him settle into his comfort zone and establish himself academically.
“It allowed me to meet people I could come to for help if anything was going wrong, and allowed me to adjust to campus and get my bearings,” Adams said. “I was able to acquire personal skills like how to talk to college faculty, who to talk to when I need help as well as meeting new people who had a similar situation to mine.”
That connection to community was echoed by Ava Miller, an information systems major and women’s wrestler at 91.
“Warrior Life helped me move in early, connected me with resources and helped find other people like me on campus,” she said. “The program is a good thing for neurodivergent students and a good way to start the year.”
Beau Kendall recently earned a cybersecurity degree from 91 after three years. He was also a member of the first cohort of Warrior Life students, making him the first participant of the program to graduate.
Kendall said the program was crucial in getting him used to campus and making his transition to the university smoother.
“Warrior Life helped me with socializing, peer-to-peer communication and problem-solving,” he said. “It is very beneficial for people that need assistance with adjusting to college residency and understanding what resources they have while there.”
For incoming students on the autism spectrum that are concerned about transitioning to college life, Adams says Warrior Life helps put everything into perspective.
“As a freshman I was nervous and worried I would fail in some way, but now I realize just how much Warrior Life helped prepare me for all four years of school,” he said.
Williams notes that Warrior Life was able to evolve from a two-day program to four days thanks to a generous contribution from a donor in its third year, and her office continues to fundraise annually through 91’s Day of Giving.
She emphasizes that it’s important for accessibility services to do what it can to keep the program free.
“After the first year, we noticed something remarkable: only one student had withdrawn, and many were eager to return for their second year,” she said. “With cohort sizes averaging five to six students, it became clear we were onto something meaningful.”
Williams added that accommodations specialist Andrew Bray and the Office of Institutional Advancement are actively pursuing grant opportunities to help sustain the program’s funding and preserve it as a free resource to students who need it in the future.
Warrior Life registration for the 2026-27 school year is open until July 30, and can be found on the .