- Email:
- anassim@iu.edu
Nassim is originally from Floyd County, Indiana. She came to Bloomington in 2008 to attend the College Internship Program (CIP), a private independent living skills program for young adults with diagnosed autism spectrum disorders and learning disabilities. Upon graduation from CIP, Nassim chose to make Bloomington her home with assistance from her service dog Lucy and other community-based supports. She was hired as a self-advocate part-time with the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community in July 2017 where she provides training to college students at the undergraduate and graduate level focused on autism and learning disabilities in children and adolescents. She also maintains a blog for the Institute on living independently in a community as a young adult with disabilities and community resources for parents and professionals throughout the state. She has an additional position as a columnist with The Herald-Times, covering autism and disability related issues. Currently, she serves on the board of directors for the Monroe County Autism Foundation and is an initiated alumni member of Indiana University Bloomington’s Alpha Xi Delta sorority chapter, which has a philanthropic partnership with Autism Speaks.
Degrees
Bachelor of Arts, English, Emphasis in Professional Writing, Spanish Minor Brescia University, Owensboro, Kentucky
Personal Statement
Since I was young, I have known I wanted to do something to help better the lives of children with disabilities and their families. Through sharing my personal experiences of growing up with multiple disabilities I hope to provide insight for audiences as to what living with disability can actually be like day to day.
Research Interests
- Autism Spectrum Disorders
- Learning Disabilities
- Abnormal Neurologic Development in Children and Adolescents
Awards and Honors
- Nominated to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges, 2010
- Received the Mayor’s Award from The City of Bloomington Council for Community Accessibility, 2016 for her work in The Herald-Times
- Featured in Bloomington’s Bloom Magazine twice for her work in The Herald-Times and for her efforts to make Bloomington more aware of the struggles and challenges facing individuals with autism and related disabilities
- Invited guest speaker, MENSA International Summer 2018 convention
- Asked to testify before Indiana State Senate regarding bills impacting young adults with disabilities, 2015