By Dawn Pauli, contributing writer

Jim and Lisa Price, co-founders of Jack’s Place for Autism, presented $100,000 to Oakland University’s School of Education and Human Services (SEHS) during a June 8 ceremony, marking the formal initiation of an expected long-term partnership between the two organizations.

The donation will help OU establish a position in the School of Education and Human Services to focus on increasing understanding and awareness of autism spectrum disorders.

“This gift and the relationship with Jack’s Place will help further the agenda of educating people in our communities about how to support and work with families with autism,” said Mary Otto, dean of OU’s School of Education and Human Services. “We expect that this new position will help advance the agendas of Jack’s Place for Autism and of the SEHS. The Department of Human Development and Child Studies, housed in SEHS, has a long history of providing education of the topic of autism.”

Announced in March, the goal of the partnership between Jack’s Place and OU’s SEHS is to create a campus-based resource center for families and professionals involved with autism. Future plans include a multi-disciplinary center with a focus on independent living, community support and job training. 

Joining Otto at the ceremony in the Carlotta and Dennis Pawley Hall atrium, were Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost Virinder Moudgil, Vice President for University Relations Sue Goepp, members of the SEHS Resource Development Board, Jack's Place Foundation Board, and university faculty and staff.

“Our relationship with Jack’s Place is ideal because by working together both organizations can achieve their goals much faster and can have broader impact,” Otto said.

Price’s son, Jack, has autism. Price, a catcher with the ’68 World Series-winning Tigers and current broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers, and his wife, Lisa, founded Jack's Place for Autism two years ago. In Jim’s remarks, he noted they had hoped to be partners with a world-class university like Oakland.

Lisa Price said the relationship with OU catapulted the Jack’s Place agenda, so they are years ahead of where they expected to be at this time.

For more information on Jack's Place, visit the Jack's Place for Autism Web site or call (248) 443-7427.