Change Agent
Ohio Wesleyan Student Interns as a Job Coach for Clevelanders with Disabilities
Name: Rukevwe Diohwo '27
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
High School: Kettering Fairmont High School
Majors: Psychology and Social Justice
OWU Connection Experience: Summer internship with the nonprofit Linking Employment, Abilities and Potential (LEAP) program in Cleveland, Ohio
Diohwo served as a job coach with LEAP, which seeks more equitable solutions for those with disabilities. The organization's mission is to be "an agent of positive change, working to advance participation and equality in society for people with disabilities in Northeast Ohio."
Her internship was coordinated by the Summer on the Cuyahoga (SOTC) program, which seeks to showcase and attract talent to the Northeast Ohio region. SOTC provides up to 80 internships each summer to students from 11 U.S. colleges and universities, including Ohio Wesleyan.
My Responsibilities
"Job coaches assist the students with their daily assignments, collect notes on the students' task completion and efficiency, and conclude as to whether students are ready for competitive employment at the end of the program."
Why This Experience?
"I chose to intern with LEAP because it would be a brand-new experience for me. I wanted to find a way to challenge myself this summer while also strengthening and gaining new skills."
Favorite Moments
"This isn't exactly a moment, but my favorite part of working on site was definitely seeing the students improve and gain more autonomy. Seeing the students ask for help when needed, taking the initiative to do things, collaborating with one another, etc., all made me feel as though I'm serving my purpose as a job coach."
This experience helped me reframe the way I view what it takes to be a leader and what leadership is.
Lessons Learned
"One lesson I learned this summer was that being a leader doesn't necessarily have to mean being the 'boss'; rather, a leader is someone who helps people utilize skills they already have or may lack, facilitating conversations among people, giving insightful directives, and everything in between. This experience helped me reframe the way I view what it takes to be a leader and what leadership is."
Understanding What's Needed
"Working with people who have disabilities, there were certain accommodations that had to be met as well. While some of the students needed a constant background character to keep them focused, others required directions to be re-explained or simplified before they could begin a task.
"It was important for me to understand that although two students might have the same diagnoses, they are affected differently and won't have the same needs, amid being a part of the same demographic. Being able to listen and understand what the students needed from me was a learning experience."
OWU Assistance
"Mindy Agin (of the OWU Career Connection office) served as a resource. Chris Litzler '14 hosted dinner for OWU students during the program and created a group chat with all of the OWU SOTC'ers."
Campus Involvements
Diohwo is involved with the Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs (WCSA) and the clubs Rafiki, YDSA, and Horizons. She also works as a residential assistant.
Why Ohio Wesleyan?
"Smaller size causes more intimate dynamics in the classroom, 'inviting' feeling during campus visit.
My Plans After Graduation
"Ph.D. in Urban Planning. (Ohio Wesleyan is supporting my goal by) giving me the knowledge I need to prepare for more schooling."