With an eagerness to join the Start on Success (SOS) initiative, the University of Mary Washington and Sodexo teamed up to offer paid internships for high school seniors who receive services through an IEP for the 2021-22 school year. In 2022-23, UMW proudly provided seven student interns with meaningful experiences in various departments around the university, including dining, student health, and facilities. To help their meaningful cause, Sodexo generously provided mentoring and invaluable work opportunities, such as those in marketing, social media, and food service operations, along with an individualized interview preparation program. From James Monroe High School, Angie Poteet was responsible for handpicking two remarkable interns, Caleb Davis and Nate Hession, for the Dining Department.
The University of Mary Washington (UMW) was honored with the prestigious Employer of the Year award from the Virginia Division on Career Development and Transition in March for its exemplary involvement in Start on Success (SOS), a school-to-work program launched by the National Organization on Disability. UMW’s commitment to this initiative is demonstrated through its partnership with James Monroe High School and paid internship program for high school seniors who receive services through an IEP during the 2021-22 academic year. Furthermore, during the 2022-23 school year, UMW provided seven SOS student interns with opportunities to gain valuable experience within the Dining, Student Health, and Facilities departments.
Sodexo, UMW’s campus dining provider, was eager to join the cause and provided mentoring opportunities in their marketing, social media, and food service operations, as well as one-on-one help for the interns in mastering how to interview for jobs and communicate effectively with customers, co-workers, supervisors, and potential employers. UMW and Sodexo are proud of their meaningful impact on students’ lives through this initiative.
Through the interview process, James Monroe High School Special Education Job Coach Angie Poteet worked with the university departments to identify potential candidates for the internship program. Caleb Davis and Nate Hessing chose to intern with University Dining, utilizing their skills in organizational tasks. Caleb excelled at organizational tasks, working with the receiver to check in, store product shipments, and assist with weekly inventories. UMW and Sodexo are proud of these two interns who have positively impacted the program.
Nate Hessing
Poteet has gone beyond the job site to support the interns by attending their athletic events, staying in touch after graduation, and encouraging them to pursue post-secondary education. Such dedication to mentorship has resulted in a successful internship program, with an impressive 85% of participants continuing to postsecondary employment or education, three times higher than the overall rate for students with disabilities.
Poteet is proud to provide this opportunity for students to gain valuable experience in the workplace and transition into higher education or career paths.
The JM Start on Success program, funded through the VCU Center on Transition Innovations, has seen successful implementations in urban, rural, and suburban communities since its inception in 1994. To date, it has been implemented in more than a dozen cities across the U.S. and served over 4,000 students, with Virginia piloting the program in 2014.
The University of Mary Washington’s Start On Success program is a prime example of how workplace and educational partnerships can produce positive opportunities for young students that meet their unique needs. The involvement of UMW’s dining partner Sodexo broadens the initiative’s reach to include education on ineffective job interviewing techniques along with experiences such as marketing, social media, and food service operations. From the guidance of James Monroe High School Special Education Job Coach Angie Poteet, Caleb Davis and Nate Hessing have both demonstrated their worth within the University of Mary Washington’s internship program. UMW and Sodexo are proud of their meaningful impact on students’ lives by bridging the gap between education and employment.
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