The Dan DeRosa Sensory Room

Location

The Scott Center for Autism

Year Established

2022

Purpose

History

Daniel C. DeRosa was born in Danbury, Connecticut to Daniel and Linda DeRosa.  He was an active and successful athlete at Danbury High School as a member of both the Varsity Football and Varsity Wrestling teams.  He competed and became a Nationally ranked wrestler in high school and played football in college while pursuing his bachelor’s degree in Psychology at Western Connecticut State University, where he was also the President of the Psychology Club.  He was an extremely talented poet and was a member of the winning team that won the 2008 National Poetry Slam at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

Dan discovered his life’s passion of working with children with autism at a program in Connecticut.  He then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to do Applied Behavior Analysis programming at Bancroft.  He wanted to make a better life for these children and was able to touch their spirits in a special way.

Dan then moved to Florida to attend the Florida Institute of Technology to pursue and achieve a dual master’s degree in Applied Behavioral Science and Organizational Behavior Management.  He worked as a Graduate Assistant and the Social Skills Coordinator at The Scott Center for Autism Treatment.  He worked to prepare pre-school and elementary age children to go into their least restrictive environment – most often the regular education classroom.  Dan also consulted with the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy as well as presented at ABA and FABA.  He loved presenting and learning.  His love for children with autism was evident in all he did.  He was always looking for ways to help them and their families have meaningful and productive lives.  Dan had a great sense of humor and an infectious laugh.  He was an avid reader.  He trained in Kung Fu and Judo and had a passion for all martial arts. 

Sadly, Dan passed away suddenly on September 29, 2011, at the age of 33.  At the time of his death, he was a Doctoral student at FIT and was so excited to complete his PhD.  He is greatly missed by his family and all who knew him.  It is his family ‘s wish to continue Dan’s legacy through The Scott Center for Autism Treatment.