This week’s Student & Alumni Spotlight focuses on Trevor Payne, ‘20! Trevor earned his BA in Criminal Justice and currently works as a Special Education teacher for University Place School District (UPSD)’s Community Transition Program, where he works with students aged 18-21 as they make the transition from K-12 education into adulthood.
“We focus on developing and growing skills in the three areas of education, employment, and independent living,” Trevor said. “My job is rewarding because I am able to work with students and families for multiple years and help prepare them for their goals, whether that is obtaining paid employment, attending college, or living independently.”
Trevor’s work with his students goes beyond professional goal setting, as well. “I am able to teach students real-world applicable skills they can use to create greater independence, such as personal finance, using public transportation, putting together and cooking meals, et cetera,” he says. “In our program, we not only learn these skills, we go out into the community every day and apply what we are learning.”
Like many students at EWU, Trevor also experienced a change in interests and goals during his time in college. “I have always known that I wanted the focus of my career to be working with individuals to help them improve their lives,” he says, “and while at EWU, I thought that path would be law enforcement. [But] after an internship, doing ride-alongs and reflecting on what I want my day-to-day career to look like, I applied for jobs in education where I would be able to work with students for longer periods of time to work towards their goals. I worked as a paraeducator for two years while going back to school to obtain my teaching certification in special education.”
Trevor’s advice to his fellow Eagles is to be open to any and all new opportunities, and to prioritize professional development. “You will never feel 100% prepared for a new job or role,” he says. “Surround yourself with experts in your field and continue to find ways to grow.” Consistency is also key – “[it’s] the only way to get where you are trying to go,” he says. “Show up day after day, even when things get hard, and rely on your community of people around you.”
If you are a current EWU student or proud alumnus with a job, internship, or career path you’d like to share with the EWU community, you can send us your submission here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PT8QJZC.
