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Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
I did some research about what accommodations I would like to receive and they were very receptive.
Jeff Thompson:
Please welcome Jennifer Martinez-Badillo.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
I’ve also recently looked at getting a master’s in teaching English. I believe it’s teaching English to speakers of other languages.
Jeff Thompson:
A college graduate who just recently fulfilled one of her career goals.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
We would be working together through this college journey, through this process of applying to colleges, applying to scholarships.
Jeff Thompson:
And now, here’s Jennifer. We hope you enjoy.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Anything else that’s related to their college journey, I would be here for them.
Jeff Thompson:
Welcome to Blind Abilities. I’m Jeff Thompson. Today in the studio, we have Jennifer Martinez-Badillo and she’s recently been hired with College Possible through AmeriCorps. Welcome Jennifer.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Hi Jeff, thank you for having me.
Jeff Thompson:
Well, it’s great to have you on here because what you’ve done and getting a job is an experience that so many students want to be doing in their future goals as they’re coming up through high school. And I hear that you’re actually coaching high school students at College Possible.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yeah, that’s correct. I’m also actually at my former high school as well.
Jeff Thompson:
Really?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yeah.
Jeff Thompson:
That must really be rewarding.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
It really is. I took on this position because it had such an impact on me in high school. I saw the impact my coach had on me. So I always knew that I wanted to do this in the future, whether it be after my full-time career or before it, I chose before it.
Jeff Thompson:
So how did you go about getting a hold of College Possible and tell us a little bit about the process?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yeah. So like I mentioned, I was a part of the program while in high school as well. I always networked. I always connected with the staff that I worked with while I was in college. And I remember asking someone about the position.
I also remember someone reaching out to me over a handshake. And I just knew that this was something that I was interested in. So I kept keeping tabs on the position. And then when it came time, my senior year of college, I started the application process.
Jeff Thompson:
Oh, that’s great. Were they pretty receptive to any type of accommodation, if any, that you would need?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo :
Yeah. So a little bit before the onboarding process or the training that I received, I had a conversation with my supervisor about receiving accommodations. And prior to that conversation, I did some research about what accommodations I would like to receive. And they were very receptive. I mainly asked for large print digital copies of any that was shared because I appreciate having a larger print option or having the presentations shared with me or documents shared with me so that I have them in front of me on my computer.
Jeff Thompson:
Oh, great. Well, that was nice. How did state services or the blind play a part in your employment journey, your career journey?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yeah. So towards the end of my senior year, so before the summer began, I had a conversation with my counselor. I was very nervous about asking for accommodations. I felt like this was the first time that I was going to be working in a position that I needed to ask for accommodations. They really eased my anxiety with asking for accommodations. They gave me all the resources that I needed, a couple of websites to look at what accommodations could be offered. They helped me structure an email. They helped me structure a lot of how I could say what I wanted. That was how they helped me.
Jeff Thompson:
So did you have any experiences with state services for the blind prior to your senior year?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
I would say that state services for the blind really helped me while I was in college. And it was maybe like a couple of check-ins. And I guess talking through my options, talking through what I was doing, even prior to going to college, I know they really helped me figure out what college that I wanted to go into. So those were like really impactful opportunities that they gave me.
Jeff Thompson:
When should students in high school start looking towards SSB and looking towards college?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
I’ve learned a lot and I would say that once you start high school, continue having really good grades. And then once you’re a junior in high school, that is when I think you should start looking into what college is, what you might be interested in. And then as a senior, you’ll start the whole application process and applying to colleges.
Jeff Thompson:
How did you learn how to be your own advocate?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Oh, that was during high school. I would say that it was a lot of knowing what I needed or wanted and voicing that. It was a lot of conversations that I had with like my case manager in high school. And in college, I wanted to be an advocate, not only for myself, but for others. And so I would take leadership positions in college to advocate.
Jeff Thompson:
Your goal was to be part of College Possible. So you could help others help high schoolers like you received before. What was it like when you first got into your position?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
College Possible really gave us all the tools and training that we needed before stepping into the high school or stepping into our roles. It was three weeks of training. And I would say I would do it all over again. They really prepared us and they continuously give us trainings on Fridays. Like all the resources they gave us, like they’re all right there. The teams that we have that we’re in, they’re so super resourceful. I can ask for help really easily. And I’m really grateful for the team that I’m in. Yeah.
Jeff Thompson:
What’s it feel like when you’re helping someone else that is embarking upon their career journey?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Oh, connecting with the students has been really fun. I’ve shared with the students how impactful this job has been to me and how much I want to see an impact in them. Or I know that at the end of their senior year, I told them that I wanted to see their acceptance letters into college. We would be working together through this college journey, through this process of applying to colleges, applying to scholarships and anything else that’s related to their college journey. I would be here for them.
Jeff Thompson:
Like the FAFSA, all those processes. So you actually just like start opening up the doors for them to see the possibilities.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yes, that’s correct.
Jeff Thompson:
That’s awesome. So Jennifer, what are your future goals as you’re helping everyone with theirs? What are yours?
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
This is a great question because I was actually thinking about this yesterday and it’s been a huge thought of mine. I thought that I would be going into counseling myself. And I think that’s still an option. I’m still considering it. But I’ve also recently looked at getting a master’s in teaching English. I believe it’s teaching English to speakers of other languages. I have a teaching English as a foreign language certificate and I thought that that would be a great path. If I wanted to teach, I thought that I was ready to do that. It seems like it’s a pretty good program. Yeah, I can either go into counseling or become a teacher.
Jeff Thompson:
That’s awesome. It’s nice to have options and it seems like you’re in a good spot to self-determine.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Yes.
Jeff Thompson:
Well, Jennifer, congratulations on the successes that you’ve had and for sharing them with us so everyone else can benefit from your experiences as they embark upon their journey. So thank you very much.
Jennifer Martinez-Badillo:
Thank you for having me. This was a pleasure.
Jeff Thompson:
Such a great time talking to Jennifer and hearing about her successes and ambitions as her career journey continues. And you can hear more success stories and opportunities from State Services for the Blind right here on Blind Abilities. I want to thank you for listening.
Jeff Thompson:
To find out more about all the programs at State Services for the Blind, contact Shane.DeSantis at state.mn .us.
That’s Shane.DeSantis at state.mn .us.
Be sure to contact your State Services for the Blind, your Voc Rehab, and find out what they can do for you. Live, Work, Read, Succeed. I want to thank you for listening and until next time. Bye-bye.
[Music] [Transition noise] –
When we share-
What we see
-Through each other’s eyes…
[Multiple voices overlapping, in unison, to form a single sentence]
…We can then begin to bridge the gap between the limited expectations, and the realities of Blind Abilities