Blind San Leandro Woman Achieves Her Dreams

SAN LEANDRO, CA — Samantha Shipman was born blind, weighing just over one pound at birth and enduring multiple surgeries throughout her childhood. At 18, she faced emergency surgery and treatments to relieve painful eye pressure. Her medical issues prevented her from graduating from high school.

But Shipmen wasn't about to give up on her future. She set her dreams on Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired. It was a good fit. “I love Hadley for its individualized and self-paced program,” she said. “One of the things that I love most about Hadley was that they meet you academically wherever you are.”

In September 2015, Shipman was able to attend The National Statler Center in Buffalo, New York. It provides business and hospitality training for people with disabilities nationwide. Now Shipman has a Hadley High School Diploma and The National Statler Center Graduate Certificate in Business Fundamentals and Contact Center Training. She plans to work in the customer service field.

But Shipman is not finished dreaming. She eventually plans to continue her schooling. With the world wide open before her Shipman hasn't decided whether to law, marriage and family therapy, rehabilitation of people with vision loss or psychology.

Photo courtesy Hadley Institute for the Blind and Visually Impaired