Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Congratulations PAVE Graduates!

The only one of its kind in the state of Virginia, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College’s Program for Adults in Vocational Education (PAVE) is a two-year vocational training program which serves students with intellectual, physical, emotional, and learning disabilities.

The PAVE program provides students with tools to become independent support professionals in their field. Students may earn career studies certificates in Child Care Assistant, Clerical Assistant, Healthcare Assistant, and Food Service Assistant.   The PAVE program allows students to work independently through an unpaid, coordinated internship after completing professional and social skills training in the classroom.
This year, at a graduation ceremony on Friday, May 10th in the Lipman Auditorium of the Massey Library Technology Center on the Parham Road Campus, 20 students graduated from the PAVE program, six with Clerical Assistant Career Studies Certificates, eight with Food Service Assistant Career Studies Certificates, four with Healthcare Assistant Career Studies Certificates, and two with Child Care Assistant Career Services Certificates.
Six of this year’s graduates have already accepted positions with their internship sites and two are planning to return to J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College to earn an associate’s degree.
Gary Jamal Wallace
Deemed by his instructors as the “hardest-working” of this year’s graduates, Gary “Jamal” Wallace, a graduate of Hanover High School with a compassion for cooking since an early age, began the PAVE program in 2011 in the area of food service.  He completed a culinary arts program in high school and continued his dream at Reynolds.  As part of the program Jamal completed a 200 hour internship at VCU’s Jonah’s Café where he had the opportunity to work with excellent chefs in a variety of areas and gain a wealth of experience while consistently maintaining a 4.0 grade point average.  Friendly and quiet with impeccable manners and a strong commitment to always complete work on time, Jamal has surpassed all odds in spite of serious health issues at an early age.  He believes that “when people tell you that you can’t do anything or that you are no good, then you must prove them wrong.”  He goes on to say “never give up on your dreams, make good grades where ever you go, and never give up on yourself.”

Graduates
Healthcare Assistant
Kierra Allen
Christopher Dyke
Suzanne Griffith
Jade Scott
Child Care Assistant
Jaquetta Richardson
Shameka Scott
Food Service Assistant
Shanequah Brooks
John Gatewood
Waddell Green
Alonzo Johnson
Amber Norris
Jaie Robinson
Gary Wallace
Faatima Winston
Clerical Assistant
Madelyn Allen
Danielle Brown
Shelbie Fabian
Kristen Garner
Tysheena Hughley
Natalie Schwartz