Real Impact: Xavier’s Journey from Self-Doubt to Internship Success

Every school year, the staff at Shepherds College® see the impact of an education designed specifically for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities; we see growth in our students.

It’s one of the most incredible things about working at Shepherds College! There is so much joy in knowing that our investment of time and knowledge impacts our students and their loved ones year after year in visible ways, and sometimes in surprising ways. Xavier is the perfect example.

Xavier is the type of student everyone loves. He’s kind. He cares about others. He’s sensitive. There is rarely a day he doesn’t seek out staff to ask how they’re doing.

When Xavier first came to campus, he was shy and lacking in self-confidence. He had an excellent grasp of Technology, but even basic assignments could cause him enough frustration that he would shut down.

During Xavier’s 2nd year in Technology, staff intentionally addressed his self-doubt and insecurities. We shared with him how proud we were of his perseverance and effort; we reminded him that it’s okay to hit roadblocks, and we encouraged him to keep working through each problem. With each success, his confidence blossomed. He started to believe in himself, and when our students believe in themselves, life impact happens.

At the end of Xavier’s second year, he and his parents thought an internship in the technology field would be a good next step. Talk about confidence! Together, we contacted one of our partners, Ion Education*, to see if they had anything for Xavier to do over the summer. Kyle Holder, the founder and CEO, and Larry Schwartz, the lead educational consultant, had a real interest in building into our students and our Shepherds College community. They are also one of our Occupational Experience sites for 3rd-year Technology students.

Ion Education is a software company that exists to make sure no students fall through the cracks in the public school system. Although the US educational system has supports for public schools such as specialized teachers and Individualized Education Plans (IEP), oftentimes, there are students in the district who aren’t troublemakers but who aren’t thriving either and quite often falling through the cracks. This is where Ion Education can help. Ion will come into a school district and give the district an easy-to-quantify visual aid showing where each student stands academically. School administrators can then see which students need extra support, even if they don’t qualify for an IEP.

Kyle and Larry said that Xavier could intern for them over summer break! So, when other students were enjoying their time off from classes, Xavier worked remotely to help Ion Education. He used the internet to research school districts by state, then entered the information into an Excel spreadsheet and sent his completed spreadsheets to Larry. Larry was so pleased with Xavier’s work that he expressed hope Xavier would apply for a job with Ion after he graduates!

While Xavier has shown tremendous growth this year, he’s not an isolated example. Our students thrive when parents, teachers, professionals, and others in their communities encourage and support their God-given potential.

Invest in a student, change a life. That’s real impact.

Invest in a student, change a life. That’s real impact.