Laurel's Visual Resume

Thank you to Brian Canright, Lead Recruiter/Transition Coordinator, for writing today's blog.

As the Transition Coordinator, I am looking to provide, and continuously improve upon, the resources we provide our graduates to improve employment outcomes. One such tool I have been piloting the past few weeks is the visual (or video) resume. Research suggests that, for adults with disabilities, this practice increases the likelihood of employment. The primary reason is that a prospective employer can visualize the potential employee competently carrying out tasks which are relevant to the position they are seeking to fill. Though the paper resume and references are equally important for securing a job, the visual resume adds value to the overall portfolio. The video can be linked to the resume in the form of a QR code or as a website link. Additionally, a student can download the visual resume and burn it to a DVD to carry with them to interviews.

The following example is a 2 and a ½ minute visual resume that was shot on Wednesday, May 22^nd, over the course of two hours of Laurel Arnold’s internship at Country Rose Bakery and Café. I only used an iPad mini and the whole project was completed in less than three hours, including the editing.  

 

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

With Love, Inc.

It’s Thanksgiving!

At this time of year in Wisconsin, its cold, the leaves have fallen, the ground is hardening and the last of the fall produce has been picked. This means that our Horticulture interns have the opportunity to leave the gardens and fields and work indoors.

Not all the winter internships for these students have to do with Horticulture, but these internships will continue to advance the job skills the students have been learning during their years at Shepherds College – personal hygiene, time management, professional behavior, job responsibilities, communications, customer service… We don’t give them a chance to get rusty during the off season!

This year, we’ve introduced a new internship site. Ray, Tess and Sean, our third-year Horticulture students, are working three days a week at Love, Inc., a 501c(3) non-profit organization in Burlington, WI with over 40 different programs dedicated to helping families and individuals live better, more productive lives. Each year, Love, Inc. provides over $500,000 in goods and services to those in need in the community.

Love Inc. goes the extra mile to help people celebrate Thanksgiving. In the last few weeks, our students have been putting together food boxes filled with all the yummy stuff people hope to find on their tables today – 10 pounds of potatoes, 5 pounds of fresh onions, stuffing, gravy, beans, corn, cranberries, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie, whipped cream and a gift certificate to purchase a turkey at the local Sentry’s. The students have the pleasure of meeting the recipients of the boxes and helping them carry the heavy loads to their cars.

They’ve also been working in the warehouse – cleaning, sorting and donating all the extra shoes, bags and belts to third world countries, like Haiti.

One of my favorite Love Inc. programs is the Adopt A Family program. Our students made the Christmas ornaments that local churches will hang on their trees. Individuals in the congregations will select ornaments with the names of needy families and anonymously buy gifts for them during the Christmas season.

Love Inc. also offers coats to children, teens and adults who are in need of warm, winter wear. This year, they gave away close to 1,000! Ray, Tess and Sean sorted through the coats that were left over to decide if they should be put in the resale shop or donated to another organization.

They’ve also had the experience of working in the resale shop, organizing clothing, hanging the items by color and making sure the hangers were all facing the correct way.

Miss Spence, their job transporter, has been impressed with the way the interns work with people so easily. She noticed how friendly and personable they were to everyone there. The students have consistently demonstrated kindness and compassion to employees, volunteers, clients and each other. 

The students have enjoyed this internship, and the people at Love Inc. have really enjoyed them. Patty, the volunteer coordinator said, “They’ve worked hard, and they’ve worked well together. They’ve been such a blessing to us!”

“Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”
2 Corinthians 9:10-11

Happy Thanksgiving!

 


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

Kelsie's Internship

Today's blog is written by Kelsie Mead, Culinary Arts student at Shepherds College:

Hi, I’m Kelsie Mead.  I’m a third-year student at Shepherds College.  On Fridays, I attend academic and Bible classes from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and on Mondays through Thursdays I work at my internship at Oakridge Care Center.  My shift begins at 6:40 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m.   Follow me as I walk you through a typical day at Oakridge Care Center…. 

When I arrive, I make sure the coffee is in the coffee carafe and place carafes on a cart.  I take the coffee to the north/south dining room and serve coffee and cereal for the residents.   After breakfast, I wash the serving utensils using a commercial dishwasher.  Next, I announce over the intercom that breakfast is now being served in the main dining room.  I proceed to the compartment sink where I wash pots and pans.  After breakfast is completed in the main dining room, I set-up carts to pick-up the dishes from tables and wash the tables.  My final task with breakfast is to take out the trash. 

Once breakfast is completed, it’s time to prepare for lunch.  My responsibilities vary from day to day.  Sometimes I prepare a dessert.  I find the recipe, get the ingredients, mix ingredients together, and bake or put into the refrigerator.  Recently I made peach cobbler.  The residents enjoyed it.  When I don’t prepare a dessert, I clean out the refrigerators, scrub trash cans, organize pots and pans, etc. 

For lunch, I serve coffee and the side dish in the north/south dining room.  Side dishes include: salads, jello, fruits, and desserts.   Then, I wash the serving utensils using a commercial dishwasher.   Next, I announce over the intercom that lunch is now being served in the main dining room.  I proceed to the compartment sink where I wash pots and pans.  While lunch is served in the main dining room, if something is needed I get it for them.  Finally, I set-up the carts for dining room clean-up but I don’t clean the dining room instead I wash the pots and pans. 

I am thankful that I was hired for this internship and I enjoy working with my co-workers because they understand my vision problem.  Due to my vision, I sometimes have to wash dishes more than once.  Diligence means to invest my time and energy to complete each task assigned to me.  I practice diligence when I wash dishes.  The definition of initiative is doing a task before I’m told to do it.  I take initiative with my cleaning tasks by looking at the cleaning list and completing chores without being asked. 





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

Friday's Top Five: What You Need to Know

Right now, I’d like to spend some one-on-one time with all of you students out there. If you’re considering Shepherds College even the tiniest bit for yourself or someone else, please read this blog because for my last post at Shepherds College, I want to be completely honest with you. I want to let you in on the little secret of what Shepherds College is really like.

There are some things that you need to know about Shepherds College, so I’ve put together a list to share with you. Here’s the scoop:

1. You will have countless incredible opportunities at Shepherds College.

One of the many great things about Shepherds College is the fact that they provide so much hands-on learning. Applied learning is used regularly in the classroom, but in my opinion, the best hands-on experience at Shepherds College is your internship. All students are required to complete an internship during their third year of school. What a unique opportunity! It’s not every day that you get to trade exams and classrooms for the chance to gain firsthand experience in the field you want to work in. 

Melissa working at her internship site

But the opportunities do not stay tied to the educational or vocational aspects. Shepherds College offers you opportunities in residential life, too. When you live on campus, you learn how to share living space with other people, how to maintain your home, and how to handle your personal finances. You’ll also have a great chance to get involved with residential life activities like going bowling, attending baseball games, having a pizza party, or enjoying a bonfire. How fun is that? Needless to say, the opportunities abound at Shepherds College.

Zoe enjoying his day at the beach

2. You will learn many new and exciting things at Shepherds College.

I know this one seems pretty obvious since Shepherds College is a school and schools are usually associated with learning, but students here learn so much more than what’s in the textbooks. You will learn how to give a speech, resolve conflict, grow a relationship, live for Christ, plant flowers, bake cupcakes, apply for a job, prepare for an interview, dress professionally, clean your room, and go grocery shopping. And that’s just to name a few of the things you will learn at Shepherds College! There’s a lot of learning going on around here, and believe me, you do not want to miss out.

Miss Houk helping Gloria prepare dinner

3. You will find wonderful role models at Shepherds College.

The teachers at Shepherds College are the best, and I’m not just saying that. I really mean it. What makes these teachers so great is the fact that they don’t confine the student-teacher relationships to the classroom. They’re available outside of class to counsel students, help them with their studies, offer advice, or just hang out. They really want to build friendships, and I think that’s so important.

Everybody needs someone to look up to, and it is crucial for the teachers at Shepherds College to be those positive role models to their students. The teachers look out for their students because they want them to succeed in all areas of life, not just in the classroom.

Mrs. Luchterhand and Kelsie

4. You will make many fantastic new friends at Shepherds College.

Here’s what I love about Shepherds College: the sense of camaraderie among the students. Of course, just like the rest of us, there are days with disagreements or bad moods, but overall, the students truly love and care for each other.

They are all diverse. They have different likes and dislikes. They have distinctive personalities. Some are outgoing. Some are shy. Some are gentle while others are impulsive. But they make it all work. 

Donovan and Dallas

When you graduate from Shepherds College, I guarantee you will have numerous friends, but you will also have an extra family, the Shepherds College family. And no matter where you go or what you do in life, you will always have that connection. Who wouldn’t want to have a bond like that?

Daniella and Lindsay

5. You will be challenged and encouraged to do your very best at Shepherds College.

Who likes mediocrity? My guess is no one does. We all like to excel, and whether we appreciate it or not at the time, we need to be pushed to do our best. The people at Shepherds College will do that. They will support you and persuade you to be the best that you can be at every moment of every day. Teachers will push you academically. The staff will push you spiritually. Fellow students will push you socially. Encourage, encourage, encourage. Think what you could do with all of that positive sharpening.

Kyle studying Horticulture

Daniel and Annie studying Culinary Arts

At some point in our lives, we’ve all been told that we can’t do something. Well, at Shepherds College, they tell you that you can. You can do it. It is possible. Spread your wings and follow those dreams. With the proper goals and the right motivation, you can accomplish so much more than you think you can. Shepherds College wants to help you see that.

Samuel spending time in God's Word

                                                                

Aren’t you glad you now know what Shepherds College is really like? Pretty good secrets, huh? I’m delighted I could share them with you, and I hope you will consider Shepherds College for yourself or the student in your life.

During my first week at Shepherds College, I heard a student say, “We’ve had a college experience like none other.” I would certainly have to agree with her. Shepherds College truly is an experience like none other. And that’s no secret.

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