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Â鶹´«Ã½ graduate student Kerry Magro was recently named a 2017 New Â鶹´«Ã½ Hero by First Lady Mary Pat Christie. Citing Magro’s commitment to autism awareness and empowerment, Christie presented him with the honor at a ceremony at the governor’s mansion on April 11. The heroes program, founded by the Governor and First Lady in 2009, was created to recognize, celebrate, and promote individuals and non-profit organizations who inspire fellow New Â鶹´«Ã½ans to give back to their community. Considering that April is Autism Awareness Month, Magro’s award is especially apropos. Magro, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), founded the non-profit organization KFM Making a Difference to offer academic scholarships to special needs students. In the five years of KFM’s existence, Magro has awarded 38 scholarships to deserving applicants. In addition to the scholarship program, KFM’s website includes an online support blog. Posts include helpful tips for autistic students, news on autism research, and inspirational stories from scholarship winners as well as others in the community. Magro has plans to expand his non-profit to help with employment opportunities for those with autism. A prolific public speaker, Magro has spoken around the country and around the world on disability related topics and bullying prevention. He is also the author of two books, Defining Autism from the Heart and Autism and Falling in Love. At Â鶹´«Ã½ Magro is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Technology.