The Gift of Awareness
written by Susan Griffis, Associate Vice President of Marketing, Shepherds College

Nothing galls us more than hearing the words, “Shepherds College is the best kept secret.” Gaaaahhhh!! We’re not keeping our program a secret. Our Marketing team has been working hard for over a decade to spread the word about our groundbreaking program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The problem is, unless a parent knows Shepherds College exists, odds are good they won’t be looking. It was only recently that post-secondary schools for people with intellectual disabilities became an option. Many people assume there is nothing for their student once they age out of high school so they don’t bother seeking out more advanced educational opportunities.

Marketing for the new Shepherds College was a challenge from the beginning. How do you get people to find a small post-secondary school when they’re not actively looking, and you’re operating on a miniscule marketing budget?

When Community State Bank gave Shepherd College the gift of Shepherds Community Café, they didn’t realize they were also giving us:

The Gift of Awareness

Shepherds College may be small, but its impact on the lives of students with intellectual disabilities and their families is immense. Our program changes lives for these people by giving hope, fulfilling dreams and bringing dignity through education, self-advocacy, self-awareness and independence. Parents find security and peace watching their children become confident, capable and empowered.

The Shepherds College program also changes the hearts and minds of people exposed to our students in community. With every exposure, the world can see their abilities and their value to society. Perceptions change, stigmas are slain, and acceptance grows.

When the bank gave Shepherds College the space to run a café, the eyes of a growing community turned to our program. Awareness grew. Thanks to the expertise and partnership of Community State Bank’s marketing team, word of the café and the mission of Shepherds College is continually getting out to more and more people. We have received publicity from several news stations and newspapers resulting in national media attention for both the café and the college.

We pray that this heightened awareness of our café and college will bring new students, additional funding for our vital mission, and a more educated, accepting world for people with intellectual disabilities. Most importantly, we pray that people will see God working in mighty ways in the lives of the people we serve through the love generated in real community.

Read about the Gifts of Experience and Community in the February 2019 blogs.  The Gift of Financial Support coming soon.