Growing up, Daniella Duran asked herself one question more than any other: “What’s wrong with being quiet?”
Duran is autistic, and throughout high school, other students questioned why she barely spoke or simply stopped trying to talk to her altogether. She was never the type to walk up to someone first, but if you came to her, she was an open book.
Finding the right college environment felt daunting. Duran needed somewhere that wouldn’t mistake her quietness for indifference, somewhere that would meet her where she was.
A Postcard That Said ‘You Belong Here’
Then a postcard arrived in the mail from Manor College — three words printed across the top: You Belong Here. For Duran, it felt like more than marketing. It felt like an invitation written just for her.
“I like places where it’s more accepting,” Duran said. “I came here for an Open House, and seeing the smaller spaces and small classes, I liked it a lot.”
What sealed it was something harder to quantify — the way professors and students alike made a point to say hello every single day.
“I thought I would come to Manor and not speak to any of the professors,” Duran said. “That just wasn’t the case.”
The Professor Who Simply Noticed Her
The relationship that changed everything was with Jennifer Buechel, Manor College’s Director of Psychology and Human Services, who also became Duran’s academic advisor. Buechel didn’t need Duran to explain herself; she understood her shyness without being asked, and that quiet recognition made all the difference.
“She understood me without even asking,” Duran said. “Professor Buechel helped me to be more open.”
The best piece of advice Buechel gave her was deceptively simple: always be yourself.
For Duran, that meant finally being open about being autistic — something she had hidden out of fear that people wouldn’t believe her. “She taught me to be myself,” Duran said. “A professor can play a big role in someone’s life. If I didn’t have Jenny as a professor, I don’t think I’d be as open as I am now.”
From the Back Row to the Front
Buechel watched Duran’s transformation unfold over two years, both in and out of the classroom. What began as a student clinging to anonymity became something far more confident and engaged.
“By the end of her two years, Daniella’s growth was amazing,” Buechel said. “She moved to the front of the classroom, actively participated in discussions and demonstrated a much stronger sense of confidence. That growth wasn’t just academic; rather, it was personal, and it was earned.”
A Calling Rooted in Empathy
When Duran talks about her future in social work, her passion is unmistakable. Her interest in child welfare was sparked by reading about real abuse cases and children who were failed by the systems meant to protect them, children whose voices went unheard until it was too late.
“Daniella has such empathy and compassion for children and knows that many will not or cannot speak up or advocate for themselves,” Buechel said. Duran graduates in May with her associate’s degree in Human Services, ready to be the safe place those children deserve.
“I don’t think a child should ever go through things like that,” Duran said. “I want to work with kids and make sure someone listens to them.”
For a young woman who spent years asking why being quiet was a problem, becoming the person who truly listens feels like the perfect destination.
Meet the Class of 2026 and find more information on Manor College’s 2026 Commencement here, and learn how the College has always been dedicated to providing its students an array of options to help them direct their own learning and personal development.
