What if the moment that brought your life into focus didn’t come at the beginning, but after the degrees were earned and the career was well underway? In this episode, Dan Baum talks with Darian Senn-Carter, Ed.D., professor and director of the Homeland Security and Criminal Justice Institute at Anne Arundel Community College (AACC), about how a late-in-life autism diagnosis reshaped his understanding of self—and redefined how he moves through the world.
Dr. Senn-Carter shares how the diagnosis helped him embrace differences as strengths and sparked a new chapter grounded in self-compassion, creativity and advocacy. From his journey through self-discovery to his work integrating autism awareness into education, Darian opens up about the intersections of identity, leadership and neurodiversity.
Learn how one diagnosis led to a children’s book and a deeper commitment to authenticity and inclusion. Whether you're an educator, ally or simply curious about how we come to understand ourselves, this episode offers a reminder: difference isn’t a deficit, it’s an opportunity. It’s a reminder that growth doesn’t follow a syllabus, and that sometimes the best version of you is the one you stop trying to “fix.”
Darian Senn-Carter is nationally recognized in leadership and education. His passion is the development and implementation of structures to support the success of all students, and he regularly participates in student engagement and success initiatives. He sits on the board of directors for the Maryland Book Bank, Civic Works Inc., Reach! Partnership School, CollegeBound Foundation Alumni Association and Autism on the Go. He is also the founder and coordinator of the Aspiring Leaders Academy mentoring program, co-founder of the University of Maryland, College Park Incentive Awards Visionary Scholarship Award, co-founder of the CollegeBound Foundation Alumni Scholarship Award, and co-founder of the Dunbar High School Alumni Scholarship Award.
Senn-Carter has served in key leadership roles, including as a member of the American Association of Community Colleges National Faculty Council, city councilmember in Bowie, instructor at the National Institutes of Health and chair of AACC’s Middle States Accreditation Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience team. He has received numerous recognitions, including the Daily Record’s Top 40 VIP Award, Edgewood College Promise Award, League for Innovations Excellence Award, CollegeBound Foundation Distinguished Alumni Award, Dr. Martin Luther King Zeitgeist Award and Towson University Philanthropic Alumni Award.
Additionally, Senn-Carter is a certified life coach (International Coach Federation) and emergency medical technician. He has a teaching certificate in special education and has completed numerous courses and trainings in leadership and education. He has participated in workshops, presentations and panel discussions both regionally and nationally.
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Purchase "The Boy Who Dreamed Big" by Darian Senn-Carter
Adults with Autism Support Groups
Autism Awareness Month Resources
