The Office: Staffing the College

What makes Shepherds College so successful as a post-secondary school for people with intellectual disabilities? Why are we heading into our fifth year of operations when so many new ventures fail shortly after the first year?

I can think of two big reasons right off the top of my head.  The first is a given:

GOD!! He gave us the vision for this school, His hand is placed protectively over ours as we go about the daily tasks He calls us to, and He will complete the good work He started on our campus.

The second reason is obvious to me, but may not be for someone who hasn’t worked closely with the school, so I’ll give you a little hint – it’s not because we have a ton of money to provide whatever we need to keep moving forward. 

We don’t.

What we have is even more valuable. 

We have people who creatively use the resources we do possess to further the education of the students. We have people with a strong educational background whose gifts are well-suited to their positions. We have people who know how to care and cope and laugh together to get over the humps. We have people who know the definitions of diligence, discernment, initiative, integrity, respect and responsibility and put them into practice on campus and off. We have people who place God above themselves and who work knowing that pleasing Him is the most important task they could accomplish in any day.

We have the most dedicated, loyal, talented, loving, amazing staff around. 

Can you imagine the kind of pressure Human Resources is under to find and train this caliber of person time and time again?

Meet Nancy Amstutz, the woman who places ads, screens applicants, arranges interviews, performs reference checks, processes all the paperwork, walks with each new hire through orientation and schedules regular training to make sure every staff member is equipped to be employed at Shepherds.

She works closely with Executive Director, Tracy Terrill and Dean, Angela Houk to find, not just a good person, but the right person for each open position.

Nancy understands that putting the right person in the right position is key to building a powerful culture of achievement at Shepherds College and that the opposite can be both demoralizing and damaging to the organization. She performs her job with excellence so the latter just doesn’t happen.

It’s a comfort to the staff to know that the unique Shepherds College work environment will be protected.

It’s a comfort to the students to know that the people who are teaching them and leading them in their daily living skills really know what they’re talking about and truly care that each student is learning exactly what they need to in order to live appropriately independent.

It’s a comfort to the parents to know that their children are in the hands of people who are dependable, safe and trustworthy.

It’s a comfort to know that Nancy is seated behind her desk in the Human Resources office – the right person in the right position to help provide continuous growth to the staff of Shepherds College.

If you’re looking for a career that really impacts lives, if you love God and all His people, if you want to work for an organization that supports disability while celebrating ability, then keep an eye on the open positions on our website, pray about each opportunity, and call Nancy at 262-878-5620 ext. 2317.

 


Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.edu.

Friday's Top Five: What We're Missing, Part Two

If you read last Friday’s post, you saw how much we were missing our students. Well, we haven’t moved very far from that point yet. We want them back! And we’re so excited that their return date is less than a month away!

As we thought about our students, we realized there were a couple more things to add to that list of what we miss about them. So, here you have Part Two.

1. Student interactions

Students interact with multiple groups of people on a daily basis. They interact with teachers, staff, Shepherds residents, visitors, their community, and other students. It is encouraging for us to see the students act appropriately within these various relationships and grow their friendships.

Some students lack the knowledge of acceptable social behavior when they first come to Shepherds College. They may not be able to maintain eye contact during a conversation. They may try to hug a complete stranger. They may misinterpret someone’s nonverbal communication. Now, seeing these students look people in the eye and shake their hands shows how far they’ve really come. Learning how to respond in social interactions helps our students maintain healthier relationships, and those relationships are a good indicator of the progress these students are making.

2. Taste-testing the Culinary Arts masterpieces

Here’s a major plus for having a Culinary Arts program on campus: free samples!

Now, this may seem a little self-serving to you, but we love our student’s culinary creations! Not only because they taste so delicious (and believe me, they do!), but also because they hold important value for the students. It’s something that they made all on their own. Each beautiful presentation and every encouraging compliment is a new success and adds a little bit more confidence to the students’ character. Seeing the students take satisfaction in their work makes us smile, and getting to taste the results is just an added bonus. In other words, make sure you visit us on pumpkin cheesecake day!

3. Enjoying the Horticulture students’ landscaping

The Horticulture students do a wonderful job of helping to beautify our campus and our surrounding communities. It’s quite normal to see these students digging in the dark earth and planting the gorgeous flowers and plants they have been tending to in their greenhouse. Although we are still reaping the delightful benefits of their work now, we miss seeing the students tend to their plants. It’s their tender care that helped those plants grow, so it makes us a little sad that they are not here to continue showering their beautiful projects with attention. We can’t wait to see the greenhouse full and active again!

4. The students’ prayer lives

Whether they’re asking for prayer or promising to pray for you, the Shepherds College students daily demonstrate that prayer is a major part of their lives. These students have much faith in prayer, and it excites us to see how the power of prayer has affected their relationships with Jesus Christ. Friendships also grow when the students pray for each other. Praying for someone shows that you care about them, and our students realize that.

During my week of visiting Shepherds College, I joined the students for their chapel session. The time was spent worshipping together with music. While some students were focused completely on the music, other students took the time to worship God through prayer. They were silent, focused on their conversation with their Savior. It was a moving moment and truly expressed what prayer means to these students.

5. Their joy

When the students are here and the school year is into full swing, there is so much joy on this campus. Smiles, laughter, excitement, encouragement, fun, confidence, energy: all of these contribute to this wonderful sense of joy. We miss that. We miss the life and happiness that joy brings to our classrooms, our dorms, and our offices.

So, enjoy your summer, students. And be ready to bring all of that joy back to our campus! We’ll be waiting.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.org.

Life's Accomplishments

Accomplishments are always something to be celebrated at Shepherds College. It doesn't matter how big or small the accomplishment is; Shepherds College believes every tiny step forward in life is a major achievement.

Graduation is definitely one of those big accomplishments.

Shepherds College celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2012 on Saturday, June 9. Friends, family, students, residents, and staff all gathered to honor the seven graduates.

Before they could graduate, the students had to get ready. The few hours before the afternoon ceremony were filled with fussing, primping, and prepping. Gowns needed to be wrinkle-free. Hats had to be pinned on straight. Tassels needed to be in the right place. The students were looking very nice.

Once the students were ready, there was some time to wind down and relax before the ceremony. Laughs and a few more memories were shared before the class headed to their graduation.

Prior to the ceremony, the audience was able to view a PowerPoint presentation which featured pictures of the graduates and faculty from the last three years. It was a beautiful way to honor the students and show their personalities, both professionally and personally.

At 1:00 p.m., commencement began with a flag processional. Seven flags were featured in the processional, including the American flag, the Christian flag, and a flag representing each state or country a graduate is from. The flag bearers also symbolized different areas of Shepherds Ministries, including a resident from Shepherds and an alum from the first graduating class of Shepherds College. It was an exciting and meaningful portion of the ceremony.

Shepherds College students and faculty followed the processional. I wonder if the first and second year students were imagining what it will be like to walk down the aisle on their graduation day.

Then, it was time for the Class of 2012 to make their debut. Their silver caps and gowns shone as they walked slowly toward the front of the gymnasium. Despite the nerves and excitement, the graduates looked confident and poised. It was a moment that everyone in the audience will remember.

After the welcome, opening prayer, and congregational song, graduate Brett read a scripture passage chosen by the graduating class. The class chose Proverbs 3:1-6. Brett read these verses that encouraged the students to follow the right path in their life.

Residential Life Staff Daniel Gaschke directed the Shepherds College Student Choir as they recited Bible verses and sang a song. The song was fun and energetic with a spiritual foundation, and it was easy to see that the students enjoyed singing it. The words encouraged the graduates to become more and more like Jesus every day.

Melissa was chosen to represent the Class of 2012 by presenting a speech. She thanked her teachers, family, friends, and internship supervisor. She shared the things she had learned at Shepherds College and explained how her life had changed during her time at Shepherds. Melissa truly had a life-changing experience at Shepherds College when she accepted Jesus Christ as her Savior.

"I learned to control my emotions, I learned to work as a team, and I learned in Bible class that God has a plan for me," Melissa said.

She concluded her speech with a challenge to her classmates.

"I encourage you to remember that God is always with you. Keep following God's plan for your life, even when it seems difficult," Melissa said.

Dr. Jim Pierson, Adjunct Professor of Special Education at Johnson University, delivered the commencement address. He used the class' selected scripture passage as the basis for his message. Pierson used personal stories to encourage the students to stay on the right path, maintain good reputations, trust in the Lord, and hide God's Word in their hearts.

"All of you have decided that you're going to honor God with your lives, and there is nothing more important than that," Pierson said.

He also presented the graduates with a special gift to remember this day. He gave them a wooden heart to remind them to always put God first in their lives.

Then, the moment that everyone had been waiting for arrived. As Angela Houk, the Dean of Shepherds College, read the student's names, they stepped onto the platform and received their certificates of completion from Executive Director of Shepherds College Tracy Terrill and President of Shepherds Ministries Dr. Bill Amstutz. The smiles on the students' faces easily revealed what they were feeling.

The Class of 2012 turned to face the crowd - this crowd of people who has cheered them on, helped them along, or prayed for them during their journey. It was a moment of accomplishment for everyone in the room. Terrill instructed the students to turn their tassels, and seven new graduates joined the Shepherds College alumni.

As the audience applauded, the graduates made their way back down the aisle and out the door. Friends, family, students, and staff gathered outside the Bolthouse Center to congratulate the Class of 2012. It was a time for hugs, laughter, smiles, maybe a few tears, and lots and lots of pictures.

Congratulations to the Class of 2012! You made goals, you worked hard, and you didn't give up. You have reached a wonderful achievement, and Shepherds College feels blessed to have seen you learn and grow. We will miss you, but we know that God has great things planned for your life. Remember to follow Him in all that you do because following after God is the only thing that brings you real success.

Shepherds College - Guiding Your Transition to Appropriate Independence. Please visit us at www.shepherdscollege.org.