Noah Durkin-White Awarded Hammack Law Firm's "Living With Autism" Scholarship

    GREENVILLE, SC, September 14, 2021 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Hammack Law Firm, a personal injury firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, has selected a winner for its Living With Autism scholarship. Noah Durkin-White, a native of Los Angeles, CA, will receive $2,500 toward his school expenses as he attends Columbia University in the fall.

Durkin-White was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at an early age, but says he benefited from the tutelage of two dedicated, compassionate elementary school teachers. "When I was in their classes in elementary school, I felt like I was smart," he said. But that changed in higher grades, as teachers became less specialized and were more confined to rigid pedagogies that didn't necessarily fit with students who have ASD.

After transferring to a high school better suited to his needs, Mr. Durkin-White began to thrive. "I was on a rigorous path to make a good life for myself and I held on to that goal, even in my most difficult moments," he said. "I developed resilience."

His resilience would pay off. Durkin-White credits his experiences with ASD as being a big part of helping him adapt to life during the coronavirus pandemic. While others struggled during quarantine, he relied on skills he learned in therapy sessions to settle his nerves. In fact, he began working with a local organization called StreetWatchLA. He, along with other volunteers, engaged in outreach for the unhoused in local communities, providing bottles of water during some of the most intense heat waves in recent memory.

Mr. Durkin-White, 23, has decided to study psychology at Columbia University. He said he developed an interest in psychology as a young boy when he would study the behavior of others in order to blend in ― a technique known as "masking." His plans for the future do not end there, however. In the long run, Durkin-White aims to become a neurologist.

Hammack Law Firm is proud to award its scholarship to an ambitious student who demonstrates the resiliency, dedication, and success toward which we should all strive.

Hammack Law Firm is a South Carolina-based firm that focuses on personal injury claims. Founded by attorney Paul Hammack in 2008, the firm has won millions for its clients in car accident cases, workers' compensation claims, slip and fall accidents, and wrongful death lawsuits. Hammack Law Firm is dedicated to serving clients in the local Greenville, South Carolina community.

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