Graduate Student Proves Autism is No Barrier to Online Learning

Autism dominated Erinn Mitsch's life long before it became part of her job.

Mitsch herself is autistic, as are several members of her family. A lifetime of learning new coping mechanisms and dealing with a world that doesn't always understand how her mind operates has led her down a unique career path—working with special needs children.

Mitsch, 33, teaches special education while earning an online Master of Education in Special Education degree from the University of Arkansas, bringing personal and professional experience and graduate-level study into the classroom. She lives in Rogers and works full time as an eighth-grade special education teacher of English at a junior high school in Centerton. She is also a wife, mother and stepmother, and a devoted dog owner.

Mitsch previously earned a Bachelor of Science in Education in Social Studies Education from the U of A in 2024 and expects to graduate with her master's in May.

Her decision to return to graduate school was tied to her desire to do meaningful work, she said. Mitsch initially entered a master's program with plans to pursue social studies but, after careful review and consideration, transitioned into special education.

"I wanted to do graduate level study for availability and flexibility to potentially teach college level or even more strenuous high school credits," Mitsch said. "I kind of just fell into special education. So here I am."

Finding a Path to a New Career

Mitsch's path to the classroom was neither fast nor direct. After high school, she wanted to become a teacher but struggled with the traditional college experience. She described a learning environment in which she was "basically being talked at" then expected to complete her work independently.

At the time, Mitsch was not yet diagnosed with what was then referred to as Asperger's Syndrome, currently identified as autism spectrum disorder, so did not understand why she had such difficulty following a traditional, in-person class format. She eventually left college, spending 10 years in the pharmaceutical industry.

Although she enjoyed working in a pharmacy, Mitsch eventually realized she did not want to spend the rest of her career there, she said.

"I don't want to say it was a dead end," she said, "but unless you're a pharmacist, there's only so far you can go in the pharmacy before you kind of tap out. I was a nationally certified pharmacy technician, and I did enjoy it, but there's not a lot of upward movement. Everything's kind of lateral. I tried a few different methods, but I just didn't have that fulfillment. I did a lot of activism and volunteering, but I really wanted to do something that would be a career and not just a job."

According to Mitsch, returning to college as a working adult presented its own challenges. With support from her husband, she was fortunate enough to return to school, but they had a family to support, so she still needed to work.

Online education gave her a way to do both.

"The flexibility of having something that was online, that was my option," she said. "I couldn't not work at all and go back to school."

An Online Degree That Fits Real Life

Although Mitsch lives within easy driving distance of the University of Arkansas' main campus in Fayetteville, she chose to pursue her graduate degree online.

During her undergraduate studies, she attended classes on campus. As a non-traditional student in her late 20s and early 30s, however, she found it difficult to balance a full-time job and physical struggles with the expectations of campus life. In addition, Mitsch saw her priorities as different from many, younger traditional college students, she recalled.

Mitsch tries not to bring work home unless necessary and works hard to keep each part of her life separate. She applies the same philosophy to her graduate coursework. With a teenager at home, she values keeping precious family time separate from her professional and academic assignments.

"Keeping a good work-life balance is very important," she said.

According to Mitsch, her graduate schoolwork also connects directly to her job, making it easier to see the immediate value of what she is learning.

"I have prep time where I can really work on my assignments," she said. "And then, my schoolwork is so close to my job, it's very easy to make things relevant and cross over. That's a huge help and truly appropriate to my job. It makes sense that I'm learning what I can to actually help me in my career."

Bringing Classroom and Coursework Together

The connection between career and school has become one of the most valuable parts of Mitsch's graduate experience, she said. Her coursework includes writing individualized education plans, lesson planning and learning how to work with students with different disabilities, all facets of her work with eighth-graders.

A course on autism proved extra beneficial, seeing it from an outside perspective. Because she has both personal and professional experience with the condition, the graduate-level coursework provided a more specialized viewpoint than she received as an undergraduate, she recalled.

"I knew most of it," she said, "but for someone in the field, it's definitely much more helpful than some of the kind of generalized lessons that we had in undergrad."

Her professors also provide resources she can use directly in her classroom. One instructor who has taught Mitsch in four classes is also a specialist in her school district, meaning she knows him both as an academic instructor and as someone working in the same professional environment, she said.

The special education graduate degree program at the U of A has helped her approach that responsibility with greater confidence because her professors understand the work from direct professional experience.

"My professors are in the field," she said. "They are currently doing that job or have done it before, so they're very understanding."

The coursework has also helped Mitsch better understand individualized education plans, commonly called IEPs. An IEP is a legal document developed for a student who needs additional support in areas such as reading, writing or mathematics. An IEP, tailored to each student's unique needs, establishes goals and identifies how the school will help the student reach those goals. Parents and other members of the student's educational team participate in developing the plan, and it is generally reviewed and adjusted annually. In Arkansas, IEPs are managed by the district's Local Education Agency and special education staff, under the statewide oversight of the Office of Special Education within the Arkansas Department of Education.

An IEP is valid for 12 months from date of approval but can also be changed during the school year when circumstances warrant it, Mitsch said.

Communicating Online

While flexibility has been a major advantage during her time as a graduate student, Mitsch said online education also requires students to approach communication differently. Without the spontaneous conversations that happen naturally in a classroom, online students must be more deliberate about communicating with professors, she advised.

"One of the biggest struggles that online students have is the connection and the communication," Mitsch surmised. "Things that can be really organic in the classroom have to be more intentional in an online format. You need to be willing to tell your professors when you're struggling rather than expecting them to recognize a problem on their own. Let them know, say, 'Hey, I'm struggling.'"

This philosophy of proactive communication has helped Mitsch build relationships with professors who, she said, have been understanding of her circumstances.

Her experience has also shaped how she approaches her own students, especially those with "hidden" or "unseen" conditions such as autism or other behavior-affecting disorders. Mitsch said she is open about being autistic—she wants students to understand that autism does not always look the same from one person to another.

"I tell all my students to try their best to communicate when they're having problems or don't understand something," she said. "It needs to be put out there that autism is not just nonverbal. It can affect every aspect of a person's life."

She said some students may struggle in ways that are not immediately obvious and that she wants them to know that success can take different forms.

"And I try to let them know that you can be successful in different ways."

A Fast Transition into the Classroom

Mitsch's move into teaching happened quickly.

She had already completed her undergraduate degree at the U of A, so she was familiar with the university and its processes. That familiarity proved useful when she was hired less than a week before the start of the school year.

She entered an additional licensure program while working toward the certifications needed for her new role.

"I actually got hired five days before school started," she stated. "It was very last minute. Yes, it was chaos."

Mitsch currently holds teacher licensure in social studies and is preparing to take her English certification exam. She also expects to complete her special education certification by the end of the school year, she said.

Balancing College with Life

After spending about a decade in school and completing her master's degree, Mitsch said she plans to take a break from formal education.

"I think for now, I'm good with not having school for a little bit," she stated. "I feel like I've been in school for 10 years."

Her next educational goal may not be her own. Instead, she wants to use what she has learned to help her younger family members navigate their own educational decisions, Mitsch said.

"I think my next step may not be just for me specifically, but more for my family and how I can support them and offer that guidance," she said.

Mitsch sees herself as someone who can tell her siblings and son what she has learned from her own experience — including the possibilities available through Northwest Arkansas Community College and the University of Arkansas.

Giving Back Close to Home

Helping others has long been part of Mitsch's life. Her volunteer work slowed as she focuses on completing her graduate degree, although she remains involved in her volunteer opportunities in her school. During the first year of COVID-19, she and her husband created a food pantry in the front yard of their new home. She also organized a Giving Tree, similar to an Angel Tree, with a group of friends who wanted to help people in their community, she said.

Mitsch's commitment to giving back is rooted partly in her childhood experiences. She and her husband grew up in financially difficult circumstances and remember times when their families lived paycheck to paycheck and even had their electricity disconnected. Now that she and her husband are in a position to provide more stability for their family, she wants their son to understand the importance of helping others.

"To me, part of being a citizen is giving back to my community," Mitsch stated. "That's my job."

Scholarship Support

Mitsch's commitment to her education led her to apply for the W.E. Manning Memorial Scholarship, which provides financial assistance to University of Arkansas students enrolled in online undergraduate and graduate degree programs.

Mitsch is one of 39 students receiving the scholarship for the 2026-27 academic year. The scholarship was created in 2018 to provide financial assistance to students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate degree programs delivered online. Recipients receive $1,000 for each upcoming fall and spring semester in which they are enrolled, for a possible total of $2,000.

She was searching for scholarships and felt comfortable with the Manning application because it required an essay. At the time, she was paying for much of her graduate education herself in addition to using loans, while also taking summer classes to accelerate her progress.

For Mitsch, the $2,000 award was more than an academic honor. It provided meaningful financial assistance at a time when she was working to complete her degree.

"I was really struggling with not knowing if I would have enough money at the time, whenever tuition payment was due," she admitted. "Worst case is I don't get the scholarship, but I was very surprised when I did."

She also sees her academic accomplishments through the eyes of her family. In addition to receiving the scholarship, she has taken honors classes and participates in academic fraternities, all to show her family what is possible.

"Anything I can do to not only make myself proud, but my family and my son, I think, as a parent, you do things more for your kids than you do for yourself," she said.

Speaking Up and Moving Forward

As Mitsch approaches graduation, the lessons she has learned as an online student extend beyond the content of her master's courses. Her experience has taught her that online education offers flexibility for people who are working, raising children or managing other responsibilities, but that flexibility works best when students communicate openly.

Her advice to prospective online students is simple: reach out.

"Real communication is critical because you have to be much more intentional," she said. "You have to advocate for yourself and for your programs. Nobody knows what your life is if you don't tell them."

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