Danny Voisine

Danny Voisine

Major: Liberal Studies

Mentor: Dr. Sandra Ayala

Danny Voisine is a proud McNair Scholar and the first student from Sonoma State University’s Saturday Degree Completion Program to be admitted to the program, joining in February 2023. His McNair research project, “Enabling Autistic Success in Higher Education: Understanding Institutional Barriers and Opportunities,” explored the complex challenges autistic students face in college and identified structural changes that can foster greater inclusion, academic achievement, and well-being. Grounded in both personal experience and scholarly inquiry, Danny’s work aims to reimagine higher education through the lens of neurodiversity and justice.

Currently pursuing a Master of Education in Urban Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Danny continues to build on his McNair research, focusing on culturally responsive leadership, inclusive instructional design, and systemic reform. He is preparing to enter a doctoral program where he can deepen this critical work, considering pathways in Curriculum & Instruction (Urban Education) at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Educational Leadership at Howard University, and Neurodiversity & Neuroeducation at Johns Hopkins University.

Danny’s passion for this field is rooted in his journey. Once nonverbal until age six and diagnosed with autism later in life, he understands firsthand the importance of equitable, affirming educational environments. His academic trajectory—from community college to graduate school—fuels his mission to create transformative systems that uplift neurodivergent students and center their voices in policy, pedagogy, and practice.

Through his scholarship and advocacy, Danny is determined to catalyze change—working to ensure that all students, regardless of neurotype, can thrive in the spaces of higher learning.