Meet Melissa Sreckovic

“While I was teaching in North Carolina, I had a student named Lucas who was on the spectrum. We had an affinity for each other – I understood him and he understood me. I quickly realized that I wanted to do more to support Lucas and other autistic individuals. I learned so much from Lucas. He started me on this journey,” shares Melissa Sreckovic, associate professor of education and director of the honors program at the University of Michigan-Flint. “I got my master’s degree in special education through Michigan State University and then went on to pursue my PhD in special education with a focus on autism at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It is a world-renowned department, and I had a very supportive experience – I even had the opportunity to hold professional development classes at Lucas’ school to train those teachers how to work more effectively with students who have autism, which was truly a full circle moment for me.”

Originally from Clinton Township, Melissa moved to North Carolina shortly after graduating from MSU with a degree in elementary education. “When I graduated, Michigan was laying off a lot of teachers. One of my professors told us that if we wanted a job and to keep it, we should head to North Carolina or Arizona, so I did,” she recalls. “I showed up at a job fair at 6 in the morning and I was offered a job on the spot that day! So I told my boyfriend – now husband – ‘hey, I’m moving to North Carolina’ and he came along. I taught 3rd grade for a few years and worked with an incredible group of people. I learned a lot.”

Under the mentorship of Dr. Gary Mezibov, Melissa began to explore the intersection of autism and law enforcement, ultimately becoming her primary scholarly focus. “During my early years as a professor, I stuck with a broader research agenda, but after receiving tenure, I began focusing more deeply on the intersection of autism and law enforcement, exploring ways to support autistic individuals during police encounters and to prepare officers with strategies and resources that lead to safer, more positive interactions.”

After completing her PhD, Melissa sought to return to Michigan to be closer to her family. She chose to pursue a position at UM-Flint in 2015 because of its balanced atmosphere. “I wanted to work in a space where my family could come first, where I could talk about them and bring them to campus, and involve them in my work. Even though I love research, I thought a teaching institution would be a better long-term fit for me. So I was thrilled when I got the job at UM-Flint because it is the ideal balance between teaching and research.”

One of the research projects Melissa is conducting is “Optimizing Police Responses: A Sensory Bag Initiative for Improved Public Safety Interactions with Autistic Individuals,” which was funded by a grant from the Theophilus S. Lynch Fund for the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Performing Arts Faculty. The study involved creating bags containing a variety of tools and resources for officers to use when interacting with individuals on the spectrum. She distributed these bags to agencies throughout Genesee County. “I hope that I can expand this work across the country, to really systematize autism training and tools for law enforcement. Right now, it’s really hit or miss what kind of training they’re receiving, and I’d love to help change that,” she shared. 

Melissa has been integral to the creation of two popular community events at UM-Flint: Officer Friendly Day and Inclusive Halloween. Both events are designed with individuals on the spectrum in mind, providing opportunities to connect with the broader community in new ways. “Inclusive Halloween is so special! To be part of a team that makes an event that is so unique for our community, it really is the highlight of my year,” she says. “It wouldn’t be possible without all of the volunteers and community members showing up – we had 460 volunteers this year! – and it’s so neat to see so many people who are willing to give of their time and resources to bring others joy. You just can’t put a price tag on that! This year’s Inclusive Halloween had a record 1427 attendees, and it was truly inspiring.”

Officer Friendly Day invites officers from across the area to connect with autistic community members. Also growing each year, the event hosts staged traffic stops, cross-walk guidance, storytelling with a police officer, interactive toys and games, and even virtual reality experiences that allow attendees to practice interactions with law enforcement. “We’ve been doing it for four years now, and it has been such a meaningful experience. I’ve had the chance to meet so many law enforcement officers, connect and hear stories from autistic individuals and their families or caregivers – it really is impactful and an important event for them each year,” she notes. “Creating opportunities for autistic individuals and law enforcement officers to interact and build mutual understanding can influence how autistic individuals engage in their communities and how officers interact with them during public safety calls.”

In addition to her work on these annual events, Melissa loves working with the faculty, students, and staff at UM-Flint. “It’s small enough that you can truly get to know your colleagues and your students. It’s really collaborative and I can easily connect with other units to create cross-disciplinary events or research studies,” she shares. “Our students are so special because most of them work really hard to be here, so they really show up. They’re often juggling full-time jobs and families, and they truly want this degree to extend their learning – it’s awe-inspiring to be part of that journey.”

One of these research projects is in partnership with UM-Flint’s Department of Public Safety. “I’m the lead researcher working alongside Chief Ray Hall on the nearly million-dollar MCOLES grant that DPS received to implement and examine the efficacy of problem-oriented public safety,” she explains. “As part of this project, we are working collaboratively with a community in Flint to reduce crime and improve the quality of life. In this community, Dr. Sam Hilbert and I have just started holding a 90-minute drop-in session every Wednesday for youth in the neighborhood. First, we’re inviting them to come play games and hang out with us, and we’ll add more activities as needed in the future. It’s going well so far – we already have had about 30 kids show up each time, so that’s exciting.”

In terms of her future professional goals, Melissa wants to continue expanding her expertise at the intersection of autism and law enforcement. “I’d love to work with schools to provide more education to autistic individuals – specifically, what to expect when you engage with law enforcement, what to do if you’re pulled over, and personal safety,” she says. “Also, crime prevention education – people with autism can sometimes get involved in crime and not even know that what they’re doing is illegal, and I’d like to help change that. I want to support everyone who is part of these experiences – autistic individuals, their families or caregivers, their teachers, and law enforcement officers.”

Melissa notes that her time at UM-Flint has enabled her to become deeply involved in the Flint community, which has been highly rewarding. “It has made me want to be even more service-oriented than I was before. It’s a practice that permeates both my professional and personal lives – I give back to my community, and we teach our kids how important it is to do so. We’re starting to do different community service events as a family, and that’s wonderful.

“It’s exciting because now students are starting to approach me about creating inclusive events, and that transfer of knowledge is inspiring,” she explains. “I love that I’ve become someone others turn to when it comes to creating inclusive and accessible spaces. And I’m proud that our students are taking that on, taking it further, and making Flint a more inclusive and welcoming place to live for everyone. I’m excited to see Flint continue to revitalize and grow, and for it to again become a safe community where our kids can run around in the streets, ride their bikes around, play with their neighbors, and thrive.”

Flint Faves

• Downtown Flint! “I love the Farmers’ Market, Churchill’s, and the Capitol Theatre. It is more vibrant here than it’s given credit.”
• Sloan Museum of Discovery. “I take my kids there regularly – love that it’s a hands-on, interactive museum. It’s a lot of fun.”
• Flint Public Library. “It’s beautiful, and the outdoor space is one of my favorite places to read on a sunny day.”
• Circle Bench. “It’s a new bench on the Flint River, across from the White Building. It’s a circle, with cool murals painted on it. It’s my favorite place to read on campus, and in downtown Flint, actually.”