I had to think long and hard about what I wanted to say because my journey started long before I attended SVC.
As a child, I attended a Catholic school in the 80s and 90s. Back then learning differences weren’t widely acknowledged and IEPs weren’t really all that common especially in private schools. I failed first grade, attended summer school, and was held back a year.
Despite my academic struggle, this setback did more damage to my self-esteem and confidence. Labeled the “dumb” kid in first grade destroyed my little 7-year old self. I struggled with dyslexia, and I was removed from the classroom on a regular basis and sat in a small closet-like room with a reading specialist. This just added to the torment I received from my fellow classmates. I was pushed through each grade, and I continued to struggle.
By the time I made it to 8th grade, I failed out of school once again. I was in such a terrible mental and emotional state, so my parents removed me from the Catholic school and transferred me into public school.
As soon as I entered the public school setting, teachers immediately noticed how much I struggled. An intervention team was created for me, and I was tested/diagnosed. In addition to dyslexia, doctors diagnosed me with ADHD, anxiety, and depression.
I finally got the help I needed my freshmen year in high school. I flourished with the help of an IEP and the Academic Support Room and Team at my high school. In my senior year, I even managed to attend half days at the local community college taking early college courses to prepare me for the upcoming Fall semester at 4-year college.
Freshmen year of college, I failed out of school again. The college did not accept my IEP, and the school did not have an academic support program. In the early 2000s, most colleges and universities didn’t honor IEPs. I guess folks in higher education figured students like me should be able to make it on our own, or we weren’t really college material.
This is when I found SVC. It was luck that I found SVC, but when I read the mission statement that “affirms a deep belief in the potential of every individual” I knew that this was where I needed to be.
I took summer courses at my local community college to boost my GPA and catch up on classes I failed. I was accepted to SVC for the Fall semester in 2002. This was one of the happiest days of my life!
When I started SVC in the Fall, my IEP was recognized, and the school offered an academic support program. I met with the support team on a weekly basis (occasionally multiple times a week if I needed the extra help). I was given books on tape that made it easier for me to read and comprehend the material, classmates shared notes, so I could concentrate in class instead of focusing on taking properly spelled notes, and I was able to develop stronger study skills and time management skills with my support team. I flourished once again.
Professors Tom Redden, Greg Winterhalter, Tracey Forest, Lynda Sinkiewich, Barbara Snyder, and countless others did everything they could to ensure I succeeded. They understood me. They had confidence in me when I couldn’t. They made me strive to be a better person and a better student. Because they cared for me, I tried my hardest and did my best to make them proud.
Ultimately, I made myself proud. I made my parents and grandparents proud. I made my whole extended family proud. I managed to be the first person in my family to attend college, and I graduated with honors in 2005.
Later in 2005, I moved home to Philadelphia to pursue my Master’s Degree in English. I felt confident and equipped with all the tools I need to succeed. I had come so far and worked so hard that I was ready to do it on my own.
I graduated with honors again in 2007, and I decided to stay in school another year longer to pursue a Master’s Degree in Education. In 2008, I had two master’s degrees and a 7-12 Teaching Certification in English. I realized it was time for me to start giving back.
For the past decade, I have worked as a college instructor at various colleges and universities in the Philadelphia area. I model my teaching philosophy after what was shown to me at SVC. Year after year, students commend me. When I ask my students why they like me most reply that I believe in them and their potential. I make learning easier and more understandable because I present the information in a variety of ways. They say that I care about them personally and make a connection with them. I do all of this because it was given to me, and just like SVC, I have a deep belief in the potential of every individual.
The course of my life changed the day I stepped onto SVC’s campus. I don’t know where I’d be right now if it wasn’t for all the dedicated teachers, the institution, and the Bennington community. I was able to find myself at SVC, and in return, I’ve been able to make a difference in countless students’ lives. I will continue to teach, and I will forever hold each experience I had at SVC near to my heart.
The day I left Vermont is the day I left a part of my soul behind, so I could one day return for it.