The Road to Success

The hope of all the faculty and staff of Shepherds College is that each student who goes through our program reaches his or her fullest potential as a purposefully created human being.

How do we help the students get to that point?

It may mean challenging a student academically, or pushing him in Special Olympics, or placing him in social situations that could take him out of his comfort zone.

It could mean repeated reminders about chores, reassuring Bible verses written out on notebook covers, unwanted (by students and advisors!) disciplinary actions, or awards during Time to Shine.

It may mean that a day at Shepherds College starts with tears of frustration and ends with high fives and fist bumps. 

It means seeing and believing in each student’s God-given abilities and encouraging every smidgen of talent, skill and strength out of her through instruction, repetition, reinforcement, sensitivity, and love until the student can see and believe in her abilities on her own.

It means a lot of hard work, diligence, courage and faith.

It also means watching each student don a gray cap and gown on graduation day and walk out the doors of the school to a life of hope and possibility – a meaningful job? A closer relationship to God? An apartment shared with a friend? Volunteer work? Marriage? New skills? A greater sense of responsibility?

Whatever it looks like - this “fullest potential” - it’s the triumphant result of a partnership between the student, his parents, Shepherds College and God.

It is success.

The current students of Shepherds College know what it takes to get to this point – they are walking that path right now - and they want to share what they’ve learned with the incoming Class of 2017:

“Do your homework! Doing your homework helps you grow and learn. If you don’t do your homework, teachers will be very unhappy and your grades will go down. If you are having complications with your homework, do not hesitate to ask them. They are here to help you in any way they can.”  ~ Sarah

“Focus on God and school work. Read God’s Word and put it into action. These will be the best three years of your life at Shepherds College, but you have to make them your best.” ~ Anthony

“Know the teachers and res life staff are there for you when you need them.” ~ Crystal

“Have a great time at Shepherds College and also make great friendships. You will have homework, but nothing that will overwhelm you. Take your final exams. You will get your own locker to keep your books and other stuff in there as well.” ~ Kathryn

“Do not be nervous and always be honest. Have fun within reason. Enjoy your time at Shepherds College. It’s only three years. Make an impact on people in your college community. Be a light to people around you for Jesus calls us who are Christians to be ambassadors of Christ. Even in the tough times, it’s important to be on your guard. Guard your heart and your words that you speak to others because words that speak edifying things bring up your peers. I would like to wish all the first-years luck for the next year. May God bless you in everything that you do and say.” ~ Wade

“Learn your strengths. Shepherds College is a very good school.” ~ Ryan

“Do not use technology after 9pm. If you use technology after 9pm, you will be tired.” ~ Andrew

“Follow the rules without complaint.” ~ Jonathan

“If you feel frustrated with the other students, find staff and never fight. Also, if you want to join any of the clubs, don’t be shy. Join the club.” ~ Joey

“Do good in school. Don’t be lazy. Work hard, study, start strong, finish strong. Remember to please God in all you do. Stay encouraged.” ~ Willetta

“I would tell you that to be successful you better be ready to work hard.” ~ Nathan

“Keep learning in class. Ask questions to the people around you.” ~ Nick

“I would say do your homework and work hard in everything you do.” ~ Ellie

“Respect the staff and students.” ~ Matt

“Responsibility. When you come to Shepherds College, you want to learn to be on your own and independent.” ~ Isaac

“Make new friends. Have fun. Learn new things.” ~ Geovanni

“There are sports that you can be on. Work hard and do your best. Have fun!” ~ Julian

“Being successful at Shepherds College is to be a great student. Be here. Make it your best time.” ~ Christi

“Make a ton of great friends and teachers. Do a ton of activities and you will have a ton of fun at college.” ~ Grant

“Try not to get involved with the students of the opposite gender. They are just trouble and draining. And don’t gossip. Also, if you have a problem with another student, the staff won’t fix it for you. Instead, they will help you solve it yourself because they are training you for life.” ~ Suzanne

“Just be yourself, trust in the Lord and He will guide you to greatness.” ~ Tommy

“Do some hard work to earn your stay.” ~ Kirsten

“Be diligent in homework, chores, etc. Be respectful of staff and others. Learn and have fun.” ~ Krista

“Listen to staff and teachers. The rules are important to protect you from bad mistakes.” ~ Philip

“Do not make the same mistakes that I did in the past. Listen to me because I will be a good leader and give good advice and be a good example for the new students.” ~ David

“Just be yourself, study hard, relax, don’t get stressed and just have fun.” ~ Cherokee

“Focus on the growth of yourself, and enjoy your time as a first-year because it will go by fast.” ~ Ashley

“Follow the school policies, don’t be disrespectful, and have fun.” ~ Torrey

“Train hard for a job.” ~ Miranda

“Plan to be faithful to do your school work.” ~ Bethany

“Read the blog. There is a lot of good stuff on there to help you learn about the college. You can comment on it. Keep looking to the future. You have a whole new world ahead of you. Have fun!” ~ Dallas

“Make the right choices and you will not get into trouble or get demerits.” ~ Donovan

“Don’t be scared. There is nothing to be afraid of. When I was a first-year, I didn’t know anyone, but I made friends quickly. When you are a third-year, you will have a ton of friends.” ~ Daniela

“You should follow the rules. If you follow the rules you will be able to do more things like being able to do a lot of the activities.” ~ Nikki

 “Follow the rules. Be respectful of staff and other students. Meet different people in other dorm rooms.” ~ Christian

“Have a fun time. Learn to be friendly and open-minded to the new ideas you learn at Shepherds College.” ~ Sean

“Learn your Bible verses, memorize them and do a good job with your cleaning chores.” ~ Joshua

“As long as you keep up with your chores, get homework done, follow the rules and listen to staff, you will do just fine.” ~ Katy

“Do everything to the best of your ability. The staff at Shepherds College will help you grow more independent after college.” ~ Olya

“Stay focused and stay faithful to yourself. Stay strong and never give up in any circumstance. Honor God, and He will give you an amazing journey of a life.” ~ Micah

So there you have it – great advice for a successful three years at Shepherds College and a future filled with the fullest potential.

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

I Wish

“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them. If your dreams do not scare you, they are not big enough.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf

                                            

Dreams. They allow us to step away from reality for a moment and imagine amazing possibilities. When we’re dreaming, we don’t have to worry about the bills that need to be paid or the pile of laundry that needs to be washed or the exams that need to be taken. We are just free to imagine.

Shepherds College is the fruit of dreams. It was born from desires for a unique program that catered to young adults with intellectual disabilities. It may have seemed like an impossible dream to some people, but with hard work and God’s provision, that fantasy became reality. Now that Shepherds College is in operation, it is a primary launching pad for other dreams.

Imagine the day you find out that you’re going to have a child. Such hopes and aspirations would originate. You would want certain things for your child, and you would imagine your child’s life heading in a specific direction.

Then, imagine the day when you are told that your child, this child you are eagerly expecting, has a disability. How heartbreaking that must be. How frightening. In that one moment, you feel as if everything you’ve hoped and planned for came crashing down. That perfect little world of wishes you created has been smashed into a million pieces. And you’re not sure if you will ever be able to dream again.

But there is a way to transform those dreams and turn them into something new.
 

Last week, I led a tour for a couple that decided spur of the moment to visit Shepherds College. This couple had just found out about Shepherds Ministries the day before, and they were overflowing with excitement about the college. You see, their granddaughter has Down syndrome.

When they learned of their granddaughter’s diagnosis, I’m sure some of their dreams for her were crushed. They had to rethink what this little girl’s life would be like. They had to let go of some of the plans they had for her.

But as this couple visited Shepherds College, I believe some of those old, forsaken dreams started to come back to life. The couple saw the greenhouse and culinary arts classrooms where students learn a craft and refine their skills. They saw the beautiful housing options that teach students how to live with others and handle responsibilities. They heard about the graduates who are now employed and living on their own.

I think that couple could imagine their granddaughter here, learning and growing and becoming more independent than they may have believed possible. I think they reinvented dreams for their granddaughter that day. Dreams of success and happiness.

Shepherds College can do that. They can take old, broken wishes that seem unattainable and change them a little to make them possible. That’s what they’re all about – seeing abilities instead of disabilities and understanding that all people are designed with a specific purpose in mind.

I included a quote at the beginning of this article. It’s a beautiful quote about reaching for dreams that seem beyond our capabilities. Some people get discouraged by ideas that seem unlikely or impractical, so they just stop thinking about them. This quote urges you to stretch for those crazy ridiculous dreams. In fact, it says your wishes should scare you, and if they don’t, you’re not dreaming the right kind of dreams.

When I imagined doing an internship at Shepherds, I was a little frightened. I’d never been away from home before. I knew very few people in the area. I had no idea what church I would go to or if I would make friends. Who would be my roommate? What kind of work would I be doing? Most importantly, would I regret my decision to come?

There was no way I could discover the answers to these questions unless I just went for it. I needed to reach for my dream, and if I made it, then I would find all those answers I was looking for.

What about you? Are you dreaming big right now? Do your dreams include Shepherds College? Maybe your son, daughter, student, relative, or friend has intellectual disabilities. Are they discouraged? Have their wishes been crushed, broken, discarded?

Shepherds College can reshape those dreams, repair them and make them brand-new. It might be a little scary at first to imagine trying something so different and new, but that’s the beauty of big dreams. They’re supposed to frighten and excite you all at the same time. If you get past that fear and trust God with your big dreams, incredible things can happen.

Shepherds College can help students dream again – big, beautiful, fantastic dreams. And these dreams can come true.

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.