Finding her voice: Donna Brendel's story of grit, growth and giving back

“WCTC has been the launchpad for helping me to aspire to greater heights." -- Donna Brendel, Class of 2025

In the spring of 2025, Donna Brendel finally fulfilled a goal she first set more than three decades ago, proving that it’s never too late to finish what you started.

Brendel first attended WCTC in 1992, studying real estate appraisal. Although she excelled in her courses and even earned her state license, she found herself at a crossroads with just one semester left in the program. Unaware of her autism diagnosis at the time, she struggled to articulate her concerns about the power she held in the field—the power to affect a family’s dream of home ownership. “I didn’t know how to share my feelings with my boss, the school, my family or anyone,” she recalls. “So I just stopped going to school.”

After leaving WCTC, Brendel worked in various roles, got married, and poured her heart into raising her three children. When her son was diagnosed with autism, she dove into educating herself about the condition. She learned about how autism presents differently in women, and she started to understand why she had struggled to navigate her career choices and realize her college goals. “As I educated myself about autism for my son’s sake, I learned more about myself than I ever had before,” she said. “Once I started to advocate for my son, I started to advocate for myself as well.”

A passionate advocate for others

Since being diagnosed in her early 40s, Brendel has become a passionate advocate, leading an Adults with Autism online support group and serving as a moderator, panelist and speaker for the Autism Society of Greater Wisconsin’s annual conferences. She also hosts a podcast, I Should Say That Out Loud, where she shares insights and explores themes of personal growth and navigating life with autism. The show was recognized by FeedSpot as a top podcast, reaching the #5 spot on their "25 Best Adult Autism Podcasts" list in March of 2025.

By speaking up with vulnerability and openness, Brendel strives to reduce stigma and serve as a beacon for other autistic adults looking for help and hope. The key message she hopes listeners take away from her show is that people with autism are brimming with thoughts, dreams, emotions, and aspirations that they may sometimes be unable to verbalize–plus the stress and anxiety that can come with holding those inside. “We still want to participate in life and society,” she stressed. Though sensory struggles and communication hurdles can be barriers, she said, “when we feel truly safe, we are much better able to open up and communicate our feelings and desires.”

As Brendel guided her children through their college search processes, her own desire to return to school was reignited. “I learned about all of the supports that every college has to help young people discover their passions, find housing, and be helped along the way,” she said. “I realized that I didn’t have to figure everything out on my own.”

Taking her knowledge to the next level

By 2024, Brendel had decades of experience in the human services field and decided to take her knowledge to the next level by returning to WCTC to pursue a Human Services associate degree. This time around, she knew herself better and quickly found herself enjoying college more than she ever had before.

One assignment that stood out was a presentation on how to help a family with an autistic member choose a vacation. “As I was giving this presentation, I was so taken up with the reality of what I was sharing that I did not have to act it out. I allowed myself to show my classmates how autism feels and looks in real time,” she said. “It was powerful for me and them.” Their acceptance gave Brendel the courage to connect more deeply with her classmates and be more authentic in her podcast.

Brendel’s return to WCTC culminated in an array of achievements, becoming a member of the Phi Theta Kappa and National Technical Honor Societies and earning the Human Services Program Award on her way to crossing the stage at graduation this spring. She also took home the 2025 Grit Award in May, a special honor presented to one graduating student who demonstrates tenacity and passion in working toward and achieving long-term goals, even in the face of adversity.

Graduation was just the beginning for Brendel. The momentum she gained at WCTC is now snowballing. She has started her bachelor's degree at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, published her second memoir, started offering life coaching for autistic adults, and welcomed some incredible guests on her podcast.

“WCTC has been the launchpad for helping me to aspire to greater heights,” she shared. For others considering a return to college, her advice is simple yet profound: “Just show up for yourself. Talk to people you feel safe with to share your dreams and then pursue them.”

Brendel's story is a testament to the power of perseverance and the courage to redefine one's own path. Her journey reminds us that with grit and a little help along the way, anything is possible.

See related story in WCTC Impact -- Fall 2025 Edition.

By Chelsey Siwula, Contributing Writer