UAPB Project SEARCH® Graduates Seven Interns

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff held its Project SEARCH® Graduation on Thursday, May 12, in the UAPB HPER Lecture Hall for seven interns who have completed their nine-month training program by working in several departments on the UAPB campus with the help of instructors, coaches, and mentors. Project SEARCH® is an employment readiness training program for young adults with developmental disabilities that takes place in the workplace.

Four of the seven UAPB-sponsored interns have secured employment post-graduation. Along with receiving certificates of completion, the graduates received individual recognition in the following categories: 1) Funniest Intern: Jordan Marks; 2) Most Creative: Rashaad Williams; 3) Most Friendly: Aaron Rejistre; 4) Most Outgoing: Isaac Reed; 5) Most Fashionable: Evonna Burton; 6) Most Improved: Jenascia Sanders; and 7) Going Above and Beyond: Daijah DeLoach.

The program included remarks from Dr. William Torrence, UAPB Associate Professor, to “Remember your inner voice that tells you that you can achieve.” and Judy Smith, Transition Director, Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, “Finish your tasks and then volunteer for more.” In addition, family, friends, instructor, and mentors were on hand as a “circle of support” to hear interns present gratitude in their individual graduation speeches with a common theme of how the internship program created a supportive, patient, and understanding environment and encourages people with disabilities that they can gain skills, confidence, and work.

Project SEARCH® Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative partners with Arkansas Rehabilitation Services and several businesses throughout the state. According to Judy Smith, Transition Director- Arkansas Rehabilitation Services, UAPB is the second HBCU to house Project SEARCH® in the U.S. Smith also extended thanks to UAPB Chancellor Alexander for saying “yes” to house Project SEARCH® at UAPB and Bonita Corbin, Director of UAPB Continuing Education along with the entire UAPB team and departments for their continued support of the program.

According to Rebekah Seljan, Project SEARCH® Arkansas: ACCESS Initiative Director, “UAPB is one of seven sites in Arkansas,” and extended her thanks to the UAPB team. She added, “UAPB has given valuable experiences to the interns through various departments at UAPB despite yearly changing demands.”  The UAPB Departments that offered interns experiences included: Continuing Education, School of Education, HYPER, Upward Bound, Environmental Services, J.B. Watson (UAPB) Library, Residential Life, Motor Pool, Hunt Hall, Art Department, Family, and Consumer Science and Athletics. In addition, community partners included Ambassadors for Christ, Chartwell’s Food Services, Family Church, Food Smart, Pine Bluff Public Library, Paradise Funeral Home, and Relyance Bank.

The program also offered thanks and special recognition to their Steering Committee, which includes the following UAPB team members: Mitzy Allen, Shelia Bryan, Sherice Butler, Kyla Gates, Christie Thompson, and Angela Paskel.

For additional information, please visit projectssearcharkansas.org.