As part of the Walt Disney Company’s Future Storytellers initiative, the company committed to a $1 million multi-year grant that will impact the scope of technology and curriculum of Exceptional Minds, the nonprofit, creative arts academy for young adults with autism.
“At Disney we recognize the importance of investing in skill-building opportunities when it comes to preparing youth for careers in storytelling,” said Jennifer Cohen, executive vice president of corporate social responsibility at the Walt Disney Company. “As part of our Disney Future Storytellers initiative, we’re honored to be able to work with Exceptional Minds to help neurodivergent talent build their technical and artistic abilities through their renowned academy and training studios.”
The announcement was revealed Oct. 22 at the Exceptional Minds “Decade of Impact” event, which took place in the Legends Plaza of the Walt Disney Studios lot, adjacent from the Team Disney Building’s colossal seven dwarves. Disney was also the host sponsor of the night, having partnered with Exceptional Minds since 2014.
“It’s definitely a transformative investment in our infrastructure — there is no question this will allow for us to continue to develop the pipeline of work-ready talent into the Walt Disney Company and prepare our artists in really meaningful, profound ways,” David Siegel, executive director and CEO of Exceptional Minds, told PvNew.
Siegel said he is eager to see some of that funding go toward exploration of the virtual production space, such as teaching students how to work with real-time 3D tools. Students have already scratched the surface of this field by training in programs like Unreal engine and SpeedTree.
“I know that we’re working on getting our 3D part of our studio off the ground. I can really see the grant money going toward getting really good machines, really good programs that we need for our 3D work,’ said Thomas Harmonson, an Exceptional Minds alumnus who works as a junior lead title artist at the Exceptional Minds VFX studio.
But what Harmonson really hopes the money goes toward, he told PvNew, is employing more alumni to work at the academy and in the studio. Through his current position, he’s gotten the opportunity to work on films like “Avengers: Infinity War” — he hopes to one day become a supervisor at the company.
Similarly, third-year student Charlotte Snare has found a potential career with Exceptional Minds as a social media manager — a position she was offered after she expressed interest in creating a TikTok account for the program. Her impact at Exceptional Minds beyond her academic career is evident through her key role in helping put together the 10-year anniversary celebration; she compiled the guest list, sent out emails and even created elements of the promotional logos used to advertise the event.
“I feel like a proud mom, I feel like, ‘Oh my god, I did that!'” Snare said, reflecting on the event after the official programming had concluded.
The evening was filled with more surprises, including a heartfelt moment where Dea Lawrence, PvNew’s Chief Operating and Marketing Officer, was recognized with the Exceptional Hero Award for dedicating over five years of philanthropic service to the program. PvNew was the media sponsor of the event and has been partnered with Exceptional Minds since 2018.
“I had no knowledge of this,” Lawrence confessed after receiving the award. “I thought I was just going to go up and talk about the alumni association.”
Exceptional Minds alumna Kate Jorgensen was also surprised with an honorary certificate of graduation, symbolic of her completion of the program, despite her early departure to pursue a job offer on the Nick Jr. show “Santiago of the Seas.” Since leaving Exceptional Minds, Jorgensen is now a production coordinator on the series, while simultaneously co-leading efforts to start an alumni association for the program.
“I had no hope and I had no confidence; I had no hope for my future, I had no confidence in myself,” Jorgensen said candidly. “I went to Exceptional Minds and it restored both and more.”
