The 24 graduates of the Reynolds Community College PAVE Class of 2014 were honored at a Graduate Recognition Ceremony on Thursday, May 8th in the Lipman Auditorium of the Massey Library Technology Center on the Parham Road Campus.
The Program
for Adults in Vocational Education (PAVE) is a two-year vocational training
program which serves students with
intellectual, physical, emotional, and learning disabilities. It is the only program of its kind in
Virginia. PAVE provides students with tools to become independent support
professionals in their field. Students
may earn career studies certificates in four areas - Child Care Assistant,
Clerical Assistant, Food Service Assistant or Personal Care Aide.
PAVE
Counselor Deborah Wilkerson served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the May 8th
ceremony. Reynolds adjunct faculty member Toney Lineberry served as keynote speaker. He
told the audience about a January night when he was 18 and drove his car in a winter
storm against the wishes of his parents. The car struck ice, flipped several
times on Parham Road, and Toney’s injuries left him paralyzed from the
shoulders down. In spite of the difficulties he faced he decided to go to
college at the age of 32. He earned an associate
degree from Reynolds Community College, a bachelor’s degree from Randolph Macon
College, and then graduated from UVA Law School. Of all his degrees, he told the audience that
he is most proud of his degree from Reynolds Community College.
Several
of the graduates addressed the audience.
Christopher Banks thanked the PAVE staff and said “I never could have
made it without you.” Kim Cousins said her professors taught her never to give
up, and added, “The program wasn’t easy, but we got through it!” Scott
Steverson told the audience that after high school he thought his education was
over, but faced with a choice from his parents to either get a job or go to
college, his chose college. Still, he dropped out only two courses shy of
graduation and got a job. It wasn’t long before he realized that with no skills
to offer an employer his career was “dead in the water.” He returned to school to get those skills,
and to show his own children that he could finish what he started. He concluded
by thanking his family for their support.
As part
of the PAVE program students work independently through an unpaid internship
after completing professional and social skills training in the classroom. Five
of this year’s graduates have already been employed as a result of their
internships and three more are anticipating employment offers.
PAVE
Class of 2014
Personal Care Aide
LaMicha Anderson
Christopher Banks
Regina Carter
KeAndra Otey
Destiny Jones
Child Care Assistant
Kimberly Cousins
Theresa Gardner
Victoria Herrera
Spencer Menditto
Daviyonte Moore
Osby Terry
Food Service Assistant
Rasheed Bennett
Fatisha Jennings
Paige Kinser
Clerical Assistant
Nicholas Benjamin
Kori Carter
Frank “Hunter” Galleher
Nelson “Blake” Geoghehan
Joisha Jenkins
Ali Manzur
Ashley Martin
Theresa Potter
Naftali Rubin
Scott Steverson
