Office of Conferences Hosts Next Steps Intern Nick Villarreal
The Office of Conferences has been very fortunate to be working with Nick Villarreal, our Vanderbilt Kennedy Center’s (VKC) Next Steps Intern this semester.
The VKC’s Next Steps program is a 2-year certification program for students with intellectual disabilities, providing individualized Programs of Study in the areas of education, social skills, and vocational training. The Next Step students take classes on campus as well as specialty programs such as transitioning into adulthood; they receive training on independent living and have internships on and off campus for career exploration.
Our staff has been working with the Vanderbilt Kennedy Center staff for a number of years providing summer housing accommodations for their VKC Next Steps Summer Institute and VCK Music Camps. Tammy Day, the Director of the Next Step Program invited us to become involved in the program and host a second year intern – Nick Villarreal this semester. Our goal is to help Nick develop job skills, expand his social skills and experience what it is like to work in an office setting. Nick quickly has become part of our team. He works with us two mornings a week helping us get ready for another busy conference season.
One goal Nick had was to plan an event from start to end and give a power-point presentation on his experiences with the Next Steps Program. On Monday, November 9th at 4pm Nick gave a wonderful power-point presentation in the multi-purpose room at the Commons Center. Working closely with his onsite job coach Daniele Bartlett and Program Coordinator Brandis Blodgett, Nick created the guest list, designed the invitations, sent out the invitations, worked diligently creating a fabulous 20 minute power-point presentation, planned the room set-up and chose what refreshments would be served. Nick did a wonderful job, the presentation was a huge success and the attendance was great.
Working with Nick has been a very rewarding experience for us and we encourage other DoS offices to consider hosting a Next Step Intern too. Details about the program can be found at www.NextSteps.vanderbilt.edu. Next Steps Director Tammy Day can be reached at 615.343.0822 or by email at nextsteps@vanderbilt.edu.
