From Tina - Last night, we received a wonderful email from Shepherds College letting everyone know that the state of Wisconsin, after many emails, meetings and interventions, has decided to allow the Wisconsin students to continue to receive IRIS funding while attending Shepherds College.
The Board of Directors and college staff spent countless hours and made superhuman efforts to help make this happen. The bold, daring move they took in delaying the college opening for a month has resulted in a miracle. There was also incredible support and help from numerous federal and state officials in helping to successfully resolve this challenging issue. All of the previously funded students will be able to return for orientation next week!
In the end, everyone involved in the decision came to see what we already knew, that this innovative program makes incredible use of the funding to help these students attain their maximum level of independence and enjoyment of life. It gives students the tools to live a life with purpose and dignity. It helps them to truly become part of their community, not only in Union Grove Wisconsin, the home of Shepherds College, but also in each of the communities they return to after their graduation (though Shepherds continues to be play a supportive role for the rest of their lives, if the graduates so desire.).
Daniela actually also became a Wisconsin resident in June, when I helped her move all of her belongings there and she established her residency (She's actually just a Virginia visitor right now!). It is still being determined whether or not she qualifies for IRIS at this time, since the freeze went into effect approximately 2 weeks after she moved there. If the state of Wisconsin determines she hadn't been there long enough before the freeze to qualify right now, hopefully she will then go onto the IRIS waiting list. We can only hope it won't be a 10 year waiting list like the one she was on as a Virginia resident.
Very thankfully, Shepherds has awarded Daniela a generous scholarship, as it has many of the "out of state" and other students who don't qualify for IRIS. We are so grateful to them for this great blessing. We still hope IRIS will be a possibility eventually so that the scholarship money granted to Daniela can go to other students. This funding, where-ever it comes from, will mean that my husband and I can reserve some funds to help her in the future as, hopefully, she graduates and moves into a home of her own. Our goal is for her to gain as much independence as possible to live and work where ever she chooses to settle down. We'll, of course, be here to help her for the rest of our lives - it's when we aren't here that we are working towards. Isn't this what all parents are working towards? Some of us just need to give a little more guidance and set up a few more safety nets! Being part of the Shepherds family is the safety net which gives us such hope that all of these goals are completely within her grasp.
Anyway, we are off to Wisconsin next Thursday! Excited doesn't begin to describe our feelings. Now we can only hope that one nasty hurricane doesn't interfere with our plans! We are thinking good thoughts and saying our prayers for everyone who will be effected by this horrible storm. Stay safe out there across the Eastern Seaboard!!!
Tina and Daniela
The Board of Directors and college staff spent countless hours and made superhuman efforts to help make this happen. The bold, daring move they took in delaying the college opening for a month has resulted in a miracle. There was also incredible support and help from numerous federal and state officials in helping to successfully resolve this challenging issue. All of the previously funded students will be able to return for orientation next week!
In the end, everyone involved in the decision came to see what we already knew, that this innovative program makes incredible use of the funding to help these students attain their maximum level of independence and enjoyment of life. It gives students the tools to live a life with purpose and dignity. It helps them to truly become part of their community, not only in Union Grove Wisconsin, the home of Shepherds College, but also in each of the communities they return to after their graduation (though Shepherds continues to be play a supportive role for the rest of their lives, if the graduates so desire.).
Daniela actually also became a Wisconsin resident in June, when I helped her move all of her belongings there and she established her residency (She's actually just a Virginia visitor right now!). It is still being determined whether or not she qualifies for IRIS at this time, since the freeze went into effect approximately 2 weeks after she moved there. If the state of Wisconsin determines she hadn't been there long enough before the freeze to qualify right now, hopefully she will then go onto the IRIS waiting list. We can only hope it won't be a 10 year waiting list like the one she was on as a Virginia resident.
Very thankfully, Shepherds has awarded Daniela a generous scholarship, as it has many of the "out of state" and other students who don't qualify for IRIS. We are so grateful to them for this great blessing. We still hope IRIS will be a possibility eventually so that the scholarship money granted to Daniela can go to other students. This funding, where-ever it comes from, will mean that my husband and I can reserve some funds to help her in the future as, hopefully, she graduates and moves into a home of her own. Our goal is for her to gain as much independence as possible to live and work where ever she chooses to settle down. We'll, of course, be here to help her for the rest of our lives - it's when we aren't here that we are working towards. Isn't this what all parents are working towards? Some of us just need to give a little more guidance and set up a few more safety nets! Being part of the Shepherds family is the safety net which gives us such hope that all of these goals are completely within her grasp.
Anyway, we are off to Wisconsin next Thursday! Excited doesn't begin to describe our feelings. Now we can only hope that one nasty hurricane doesn't interfere with our plans! We are thinking good thoughts and saying our prayers for everyone who will be effected by this horrible storm. Stay safe out there across the Eastern Seaboard!!!
Tina and Daniela
Hi - Thanks for the note on our blog....the ordinary life of an extraordinary girl. I am very interested in your and Daniela's experiences with post secondary education and am excited to follow!
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