Samuel Allen (Student)

A native San Antonian, Samuel Dale Allen is a young man who is creating his own path in life. Diagnosed with high functioning autism as a child his mother was relieved to finally know what made her son different from the other children.

She knew other families would appreciate any type of help in raising a unique child in the world. So, Sam’s mother created Aspergers101, a resource of information about autism and Aspergers. It was a family effort, beginning with Sam and his mother followed by his father and brother.

“My mom wanted families to have a free resource where parents could find information about Aspergers and advice on how to raise a child with autism,” says Sam.

Sam doesn’t find his autism to be a hindrance in his life. He knows the benefits greatly outweigh the disadvantages. A saying he lives by is, “Don’t think of your autism as a weight that weighs you down, think of it as a pair of wings.”

Sam regularly attends conferences with his mother to share his story with parents of children with autism who are looking for answers. He can truly see the difference he is making when he provides answers and reassures parents that their child has been given a special gift.

Because of his philanthropic efforts, Sam recently received San Antonio Business Journal’s Spirit of Giving Award, which recognizes the time and effort given into a community in order to benefit those who are less fortunate.

During high school, he found himself in the same position every other graduating student faces; what college to attend. Through his research, Sam found that Texas A&M University- San Antonio (A&M-SA) offered a degree he loved and one he could strive for. His major is business administration in computer information systems.

Sam was interested in the field of engineering, but quickly realized he was not a math guru. Instead, he found his calling in IT (Information Technology). Regularly building computers for his family is what Sam finds fun and fulfilling.

In summer 2017, Sam interned at H-E-B as a software tester. By the end of the internship, he was selected as one of the top three performers in the class. He’s looking forward to next summer when he will participate in another internship with H-E-B and hopes to have a job offer once he graduates from A&M-SA.

Being part of A&M-SA, Sam enjoys seeing students around campus hustling back and forth from their classes. He feels apart of the community on campus and enjoys being a Jaguar. Not only is he making an impact in parents lives by sharing his story, he is also setting the example that nothing can hold you back from your dreams.

He’s a beacon of light showing anything is possible with belief, “Just know if I can do it then you can do it too,” he says.