Sacred Heart University Hosts Puzzlethon™ Event to Create Awareness About Autism

FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Puzzlethon™, a unique event created especially for Connecticut’s autism community, is coming to Sacred Heart University on Saturday, April 2.

All puzzle enthusiasts and supporters of the autism community are welcome to join the Autism Society of Connecticut (ASCONN) event in Sacred Heart University’s Roncalli Hall from 12pm-4pm for fun, food, puzzles, and prizes.  Why a 4-hour puzzle marathon? The puzzle piece is the symbol of the autism community.  People with autism can enjoy meaningful social interactions while working on puzzles with non-autistic individuals. 

“We created an event that would be an innovative way to raise funds and promote public involvement. The extra advantage this event has as a social intervention for persons on the autism spectrum makes the concept a great therapeutic social activity,” said Kim Newgass, ASCONN president. “Several schools have used Puzzlethon™ as a means for academic enrichment through autism and disability awareness, writing persuasive essays for fund raising, or journalism-style assignments about the event.”

Jacqueline Kelleher, Assistant Professor at SHU’s Isabelle Farrington School of Education, has recruited several of her graduate students to help organize and run the event as part of their service learning requirement. “The general public does not have a lot of information about autism and we are pleased to help raise campus awareness about the issue.”

Media coverage is welcomed. For additional information on this event, please contact Funda Alp at 203-396-8241 or via email at alpf@sacredheart.edu.

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About Sacred Heart University

Sacred Heart University, the second-largest Catholic university in New England, offers more than 40 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its main campus in Fairfield, Connecticut, and satellites in Connecticut, Luxembourg and Ireland. Approximately 6,000 students attend the University’s four colleges: Arts & Sciences; Education & Health Professions; University College; and the AACSB-accredited John F. (Jack) Welch College of Business. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its “Best 371 Colleges: 2010” and “Best 301 Business Schools: 2010” and U.S. News & World Report ranks SHU among the best master’s universities in the North in its annual “America’s Best Colleges” publication. As one of just 23 institutions nationally, SHU is a member of the Association of American Colleges & Universities’ (AAC&U) Core Commitments Leadership Consortium, in recognition of its core, “The Human Journey.” SHU fields 31 division I athletic teams, and has an award-winning program of community service. www.sacredheart.edu