This article was written by Nicole Villemaire, as told to Sophie John, Think College Vermont at University of Vermont
My name is Nicole Villemaire, and I was one of the first graduates of Think College Vermont. It has been seven years since I completed the program and I published my first article on my experience. Think College helped me realize my goals and achieve a lot, but I have had to work hard to learn and grow since graduation.
After having mentors throughout Think College, I wanted to become a mentor myself. I interned with Green Mountain Self-Advocates (GMSA) during Think College, and I decided to continue my advocacy work after graduation with Northwestern Counseling and Support Services (NCSS). I also had the opportunity to work for Inclusive Arts Vermont as the program coordinator for the mentoring program. In these jobs, I liked building my personal skills and computer skills in doing outreach work. Now I am not in my ideal career field working at both Marshalls and the Pillsbury Manor senior home, but I am working on making income, getting out in the community, and transitioning to living alone.
When I was a student in Think College I lived with shared living providers. After Think College I also was in shared living and had to move a few times. Moving so much was frustrating. One time I was living with another Think College alumni, but my agency said I had to leave. I was just getting used to living there, so I was pretty mad about that. It happened so fast I didn’t get to say goodbye. After a few more places, I started living in my own apartment. It has been challenging, but it has made me more independent. I am learning how to use the city buses, and skills such as cooking, cleaning, and managing my own schedule.
I ended my last article saying I hope to become a professional self-advocate, and I feel that I have achieved this goal. Outside of work, I still pursue my passion for advocating for people with disabilities, and I hope this will become my full-time career in the future. I serve on the Center on Disability and Community Inclusion (CDCI) Community Advisory Committee and the Association for Persons Supporting Employment First (APSE) board. I also received the Jean S. Garvin Research Fellowship to do a research study on Think College. I know how much the program meant to me, and I wanted to learn what was important about the program to other students and how it can help them find careers. I made a poster about my project and had the opportunity to present at the 2019 Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) conference in Washington, D.C. It was really cool to learn more about the national organization that oversees Think College and to share my research project. At UVM I am also going to be working with Dr. Winnie Looby this summer to help build a new college course on intellectual disabilities.
In writing this article I want people to know that after Think College you never stop learning, and you are always continuing to find your own way even through transitions. After college you have to learn a lot of skills on your own, and you do not have mentors to support you. I have made a lot of opportunities for myself, and I want other students to know that all people can achieve their goals in their own ways.